Oh No!
by Animewarrior12
Summary: See Ruby Struggle to keep one of her most huge secrets a secret when she un-purposely befriends a mysterious transfer student at her school, Deal with school problems and drama, and other unknown situations she has to deal with. High School AU but still has Faunas's and The White Fang. First RWBY fan-fic!
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

**Well hello there future (hopefully) readers!  
Here's a little info about me and why I created this story and that's simple I kinda got obsessed with Ladybug or Black rose whatever you want to call it.. After reading most of the shipping stories about them I felt a little sadden that there is still so little of this pairing so I wanted to make up for the lack of stories of them and you get this AU, though this AU will still have Faunas and the White Fang. **

** Here are the character profiles:  
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**Ruby Rose(Main): She's a 15 year old girl with no Parents or relatives that are able to take care of her, so she lives alone and goes to High School because she had skipped 2 full grades. She's a lonely young lady that wishes to have friends but certain circumstances lead her to believe that she's okay alone and it's better this way. Soon she'll be questioned into thinking differently and challenge her own self-problems because of her way of thinking.  
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**Blake Belladonna(Main): She's a mysterious transfer student, not much is known yet about past but maybe in the future that will change whether it is good thing or bad thing for her. She is soon to meet Ruby but not in the most normal way there is in meeting a person.**

**Yang Xiao Long(Side character for now but soon to be Main): In hopefully later chapters Yang will have her part in this story but for now she will stay as a side. Her part in this is to help Ruby open up and be happier than what she is now, while Yang herself will learn a few things herself.**

**Wiess Schnee(****Side character for now but soon to be Main): Again hopefully in later chapters Wiess will have her part in this story but for now she will stay as a side. Her part is of a bully for Ruby in the early chapters, in later chapters certain situations will cause her to change herself and how she see's everything in life.**

**Well that's for their character profile I'll Do the others in the next chapter, I just want to get this out now so have fun reading my First RWBY Fic! **

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I sighed as I was eating lunch alone in school again, I sighed again I really did hate being alone like this but I guess I should be use to it. Anyways my name is Ruby Rose a short 15 year old girl, I mostly wear a plain red jacket with any loose jeans that could fit me I disliked anything tight or exposing skin like skirts and shorts in public. I also skipped two grades of school and now is a junior in Beacon High School and some may say that I'm lucky that I skipped two grades and got into a really tough school to get in but really it does kinda suck when I'm socially awkward and because of that I don't have any friends to talk with, but I guess it's better like that. Why, well because it's better in keeping this little secret I've been keeping to myself for at least 3 years now. And that secret is that I'm living alone in an apartment complex since I was 13.

I'm only living alone because my family died in a horrible car accident, the car we were in got hit on the divers side killing my dad instantly and my mom got crushed in as the car was rolling side ways, I was the only survivor that only came out with a few scrapes and long ugly scar that went from my right shoulder down to my elbow. Another important reason I live alone and not with any foster parents is because I proved myself to the court that I was able to take care of myself and plus I wouldn't let myself be taken in by complete strangers, it still hurts just thinking about it now! After all those hardships and minor struggles in the past it still makes me think that I made one bad decision that lead me to be here in this position.. Yeah I kinda do blame myself for the death of my parents because if it wasn't my birthday I wouldn't have suggested to go to the amusement park that day and I wouldn't have suggested after that to go to a really expensive restaurant for dinner just to get blindsided by a driver that was drunk..

Besides that I know in that time period of change I was really stressed out with settling into my apartment and my grades(they had fallen behind while I was recovering) so I had no time for friends or anything fun and so I developed that social awkwardness that has now REALLY crippled me into making any friends my age, I mean when I talk to adults it's okay I can get along with them just fine but when it comes to my own age group I get anxious, nervous, and stuttery that makes people get scared away from me. So now I just kinda only pay attention in class, go home, do homework to get good grades and repeat the day's process all over again, I mean that process somehow made me skip two full grades right from under my feet so why stop doing that now? I also tried my hardest to not let the middle school teachers know about that car accident but they eventually found out and I hated how they treated me differently then the other students and then my classmates, plus my previous friends began to look and treat me differently too once they found out. That's my other (many) reasons to not let anyone know me I didn't want them to treat or act differently around me, So when I skipped the 2 grades To say I was relieved was a understatement, I was really excited.

One the first day as a Junior in this school I kinda made an enemy, I didn't mean to really it was just an accident really it was but anyway this girl named Wiess was walking down one of the many hallways that this school has and I was running in the opposite direction of her to get to one of my classes near that area and I rammed right into her falling into a suggestive position as she stated but I really didn't see the problem in THAT the problem was the students who saw that kinda teased us from that day on, they called us the white rose and it was really embarrassing because most people thought of that as a relationship name... Since that day though she's made me her number one target to humiliate in front of anyone or when we're alone she calls me an idiot, dolt and all these names that I try to really avoid her all together. I was startled out of remembering the past when heard the school bell ring signaling that lunch was over and that I and all the rest of the students had to go back to their fifth period class.

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As I sat down at my fifth period class which was history, taught by Mr. Port a stocky middle aged old man with a awesome mustache in my opinion, I could tell that something seemed off about his class today because everyone in the class was whispering and radiating excitement, which was odd cause this class was a bit boring after awhile but before I could question it any further he gave me the answer himself.

"Today class, we have someone new joining us today and for hopefully the rest of this school year." He said in his formal tone of voice, "Please come in and introduce yourself." He soon gestured at the door.

I and the rest of the students in there looked at the door to see a long raven-haired, golden eyed young women come in, what she's wearing is really cool looking, she wearing a black open jacket that had a matching black shirt that had light purple colored word saying Ninja's on it, with dark purple jeans and black and white boots, but her black bow on top of her head was the most eye catching for me, it made her look cute, cuter? When she began to speak my heart beat quickened for an unknown reason.

"My name is Blake Belladonna, I'm 17 years old and I hope we get along for the rest of this school year." The girl said coolly to the class; wow her voice sounds awesome. The class was still silent surprisingly, I mean this class has a few excitable people in here like Nora Valkyrie, Yang Xiao Long, and other students that I'm not quiet sure of there names.

Mr. Ports asked, "Do you have any questions before I assign Miss. Belladonna a seat?", Oh jeez, here comes an uproar of shouting classmates...

There was silence for a couple of seconds in the classroom before a girl with long wild blonde hair named Yang Xiao Long shouted out a, "Where did you transfer from? Why do you wear a bow? Do you have a favorite color?", Then came in Nora a girl with short orange hair that shouted, "Have you ever faced a Beowolves!? OR, OR, Have you ever seen real ninja's before! OH Mayb-" Before Nora could say anything more on her wild question spree, Her best friend Lie Ren muffled her mouth before heavily sighing in exasperation at his desk with silence filling the void of Nora's eccentric behavior, "_poor guy_." I thought...

The raven-haired girl first looked at Yang, like she was unimpressed, " I transferred from Signal High School, I wear a bow because it was given to me by my parents, and my favorite color is Black." She all said quick and to the point while Yang gave a 'o' face. She then looked at Nora with a confused look before nodding her head no, much to Nora's dismay. After that a few more seconds of silence, if anyone wanted anymore questions to give for this still mysterious transfer student.

When there was nothing Mr. Port began with, " Well now that their curiosity is hopefully satisfied, I will assign your seat next to Ruby Rose." He pointed at me, well the seat next to me that is... '_Wait what_?' I thought, '_Is he serious?_'. I then saw Blake begin walking towards the desk on the left of me, '_Oh God he was totally serious, well I hope she isn't talkative, she doesn't seem like the type too do that..._' I began to squirm in my seat, uncomfortably as she sits right next me and while the class still continues to stare at her and indirectly in my direction. I looked down at my red bender that was open to the unwritten note papers on my desk in hopes of calming my nerves from this new situation I'm in and even though I know I shouldn't be nervous like this but I am and my heart is beating even faster then before and I still don't know why. Oh boy this school year is going to be quiet the interesting year for me whether that is good or bad thing...

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**I don't own RWBY or any of these character so don't sue me cause I'm broke!**

**Leave reviews and comments!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Struggle Is Real

** well I'm back for this new chapter of Oh, No! I'm going to try to improve but writing isn't my strongest, I can come up with cool ideas but I just can't write it how I want so please bar with me! **

** Enough of my excuses and BS! Lets just dive head first into ****this second chapter full of hopefully more character development!**

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Well, after my 5 period history I found out that Blake was in my 6 period P.E class as well. It was strange that I didn't hear anything about her, transfer students are rare in this school and people would have been gossiping about something like this but I guess it doesn't matter, people in this school are strange and I'm no exception. Other than that I'm also a bit perplexed that I didn't see her in any of my classes earlier, sure this school is huge enough to have like over 4,000 students and still have room for more but you would think you'd see someone like her, I mean she has these piercing Golden eyes that can make you get lost in thought, oh and her cute dark purple bow that adorns those wildish, long black hair that could make your hand get lost in and what am I thinking!

I shake my head in hopes of never thinking those thoughts again, I really don't know why all my thoughts are now on her. I sighed mentally, anyways school today was interesting because of that transfer student, my thoughts, and that Weiss didn't try to to pull anything on me, yay me for once! I hope my luck continues though... As of right now I'm walking to my apartment which was only a 30 minute walk but I make it in 15 minutes because I'm a paranoid girl and I don't want anyone following me home.

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When I got to my apartment door which was on the second floor I paused at opening my door when heard someone coming up and talking like they were showing someone around here. Upon straining my ears to the strong voice, I recognized it as the owner of this building Hei Xiong or Mr. Junior as he is more known for that. As I heard his voice come closer I also saw a dark purple bow peak up the stairs my face paled. I quickly opened the door and quickly closed it trying not to make it sound like a slam as I got in, I so hope he doesn't mention me to her! I groaned in nervousness as I pressed my ear to the door to hear their conversation.

"So Blake, this is the second floor where your room will be." He said in his serious voice, " Your room will be 220 which is down the hall and to the right, if you have anymore questions on this place feel free to ask me, I'm almost always in my office." He said has I heard their footsteps past by my door, I let go of a breath I was holding in unknowingly.

That was only 5 rooms away from my room, I dropped to the floor knee's first. This makes EVERYTHING so much more complicated then what it was before! I put my hands over my face, feeling like I'm about to cry, she's making my life SO difficult now!I get up after few minutes past after I recollect my thoughts, I guess I just have to be way more careful then what I am now and I have to get to know her schedule of when she comes home and leaves in the morning for school now. I begin to pace around my apartment, well at least Mr. Junior didn't tell her I live here and I doubt he'll tell her that in the future. My thoughts and pacing halted as I heard my stomach growl, alerting me that was hungry, I walk to the kitchen to begin making dinner for myself. After I was done eating I had to do one page of homework for my math class, I kinda do my homework in school during breaks and lunch if Weiss hasn't shown up yet to torment me. A random thought popped into my head as I was getting ready for bed, why was Blake alone in getting a apartment here? Were her parents at work or something? Or was she like me with no parents? These questions plagued me For the rest of the night before I past out sometime later.

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I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock, I groaned at the noise before opening my eyes to see it was 6:00 am. As I got up to get ready in the bathroom, I change into a loose gray, plain T-shirt and put on black jeans, as I got out of the bathroom I grabbed my "infamous" red jacket off of the end of my couch. As I looked at I touched the rose design on the back, it was one of my only things I had of my parents, the jacket was bought by my dad and the rose on the back was sewn on there by my mother, it was my most precious item in the world. A tear escaped my eye, I shook off those negative feelings that always tried to engulf me all the time as I put on my jacket.

After that I went to the kitchen to eat frozen microwavable pancakes and It seems I need more milk for here as I finish the last of the milk. As I make a mental note of that to get milk at a store later, I check the clock on the living room wall to see it was 6:35 am I better get a move on. As I opened the door I completely forgotten about Blake living on this floor so when I saw long black hair and heard a girlish grunt As I hit the girl I immediately shut my door. SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! Was all I thought as I stayed quiet as I heard her get up from the floor and begin to knock at my door, I continued to be silent until she stopped and gave a sigh in defeat before walking off. I didn't trust even that so I waited for about 10 minutes before opening my door and cautiously begin my walk to school.

I was almost late to my first period English class because I had to be a bit slower in walking to school, God I'm beginning to dislike Blake for this even though she didn't know! As I was walking to my desk I didn't see Weiss's foot was outside her desk area until it was too late as I fell face first onto the floor, the class began laughing at this. When I got up I saw Weiss smirking at me and as I looked around I saw the teacher Mr. Bartholomew asleep before waking up and taking a sip of his coffee while looking at me.

"Ah, Miss. Ruby please sit down, It would be a shame if I had to mark you late." He said in a jittery tone after he got his coffee rush. I did as I was told and as I got my bender and pencil ready, I heard him begin to say, "Today class, we have a new student. She wasn't here until later because of her bus ride here had some troubles so she had to make it in at 5 period but!" Mr. Bartholomew exclaimed with his jittery movements, "She is here and is outside this very door so please come in Miss. Blake!"

Wait what? I thought as I saw her walk in, while she did her introductions to the class I was screaming internally. She's haunting me is what I concluded. After that mental freak out I then put my head on my desk, sighing. "Please sit behind Weiss Schnee, the one with white hair and blue eyes." I finally heard him say to her as she began walking to her seat we made eye contact, her eyes from what I can tell held recognition to who I was while my face was mixture between embarrassment and stress.I broke eye contact first because I couldn't handle her piercing eyes, they felt like they were figuring me out and that made me feel funny. My thoughts were snapped out of it when I heard Mr. Bartholomew say turn in our homework.

When lunch came around I found out that Blake had four classes with me and those classes were English, 4 period Art, History, and P.E. well at least I only have two actual classes that don't have her in I giggled nervously to myself. Right now though I was sitting outside of the cafeteria under a tree I wasn't really hungry today for lunch. I took out my red binder and pencil from my backpack, when I was done doing that I pulled out blank paper from my binder. I began drawing myself with a long hooded cape and underneath it had a corset shirt with a belt of bullet casings that connected with a battle skirt and leggings with calf high boots but before I could shade in I saw someone sit next to me, my body tensed please don't be Weiss…

"Hey your Ruby right?" The person's voice questioned that was Blake's voice, answer her you fool!, "U-uh y-yes, I'm R-Ruby..." I felt my stomach knot up and my heart beat quickened, not this again.

"You're in a lot of my classes here in beacon High." I nodded at this before she went on, " I thought I would let you know that I did notice you in our classes, I mean you did stare at me each time." Blake teased at me, I blushed but I nodded at her, no need to lie.

Just before I was about to reply to her, I saw the white devil known as Weiss coming up to Blake and me with an intimidating face, my luck was bad today… "So what do we have here?" Weiss said in a loud snarky tone and from the corners of my eyes I saw students begin to stare at us, " So the little quiet young Ruby is actually socializing with the new transfer student!? Amazing!" She was being sarcastic, I looked down at my drawing seeing a confident me on the paper I wish I was more like that.

"Blake please don't associate with someone like her she's a dolt, a very clumsy dolt too." She sighed while looking at Blake. That hurt a lot, I was beginning to tear up too I hate being this sensitive. I looked at Blake excepting her to side with Weiss but she was silent, that made Weiss impatient and with frown she began, "Well aren't you going to give me an answer Blake?"

Blake stood up, I knew she would side with Weiss but to my surprise and much to Weiss's disappointment Blake began to defend me, "What gives you the right to really bully someone like Ruby, Schnee? Like you said she's just a quiet girl and whatever she did with her clumsiness, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have meant it she doesn't seem like that type unlike you, so leave her alone." My eyes widened as I looked up at Blake's back, that was the first time anybody ever defended me from Weiss.

Weiss scoffed but had nothing to really say to that it was like a cat got her tongue, I had to suppress a giggle from that thought, she left after a few second I'm probably going to regret this later from her. Now it was just me and Blake again, alone (well as alone as you can get in a school courtyard) "T-thank y-y-you, Blake…" I said all stuttery, Blake was still standing up but she turned her head down towards me before nodding at me, she then began walking away. My heart dropped, why was she leaving? No, it's better that she's leaving now, I mean I wanted to avoid her to begin with not get clingy!

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The rest of the school day went with no further interruptions luckily, now I just had to avoid Blake in getting home. Well today was going to be easy enough, I just go to the convenient store, get my milk and by the time I'm done she'll already be in her apartment room and I'll just keep on doing that until graduation which was about 1 year and something months away, haha no big deal.… I put my head down in defeat while I was walking to my destination, she'll probably figure me out sooner or later like they say "secrets are always figured out." I have to try though, right?

When I got to the convenient store called 7-eleven I bumped into, no I literally bumped into a classmate from my 5 period class, Yang. When I was about to fall onto the sidewalk Yang caught me by my two arms, I was looking at the blue sky in a daze but that daze was soon gone as I heard her say in a concerned voice, "Are you okay there?"

I responded with a grunt before re-balancing myself, She was still holding onto me. "Are you okay?" She said again I looked up to her and nodded shyly before looking down again and pathetically saying a, "I'm S-sorry, Yang. I-I didn't mean to b-bump into y-you, I s-should h-have payed more a-attention."

"Hey, it okay, really it is!" Yang did a little pat on my head before excitingly saying, "I know how to make up for this!" I looked at her puzzled Before she started dragging me inside 7-eleven, "Just tell me whatcha want and I'll buy it for you!" She grinned down at me, I furrowed my eyebrows together before replying back, "I-I couldn't do that to you and um, I-I'm only g-getting milk, so I-I'll j-just buy it and y-you c-can j-just go on with your day.." I ended that lamely and I think she even thought that as she gave me this look of 'Really now?' I put my head down in shame.

I looked up as I saw her grab for the milk and then go to the cashier, I gave a frightened look at her behind her, she wasn't suppose to do that! "I said I would buy that!" I shouted at her before running up to her and trying to get the milk from her hands but she put her arm up high so I couldn't even reach it at all, curse my shortness! So Yang bought the milk without a thought in the world much to my dismay. "Y-Yang! I-I told you I didn't want you to d-do that!" I pouted at her and she have me a big smile before laughing loudly at me which caught me off guard.

"Ruby!" She said my name aloud before giving me a side hug as we went out of the store, she still had the bag of milk in her hand. I'm shocked that she remembers my name but I guess it's cause she was one of students that started that Whiterose drama. "Milk isn't the only thing I'm buying for ya because only milk seems like it's not the right repayment price!" She said with her strong voice as she held onto me with her left arm in that side hug/grab, has we were walking towards to the mall.

As I was staring Yang down at the malls food court, she gave me one of her infamous amused faces at me. "Aww come on Ruby don't be mad get glad!" She giggled at that before going on, "I'm being nice and treating you out!" She flashed a smile at me but I wouldn't have any of it because she really didn't have to do this! "There was no need for this Yang!" I pouted once again and she laughed again because of it. I looked at her when she got up, I raised an eyebrow, "I'm going to order us some food okay? I hope you like Mickey D's!" Before walking off to McDonald's food line, I put my head on the table in defeat, that girl was stubborn and once she had an idea she wouldn't back down from it. I sighed before lifting my head up to see that yang was already coming back with the sodas. "Hope you like Dr. Pepper!" The Blondie exclaimed.

Lucky I did and so I took it, no need to fight anymore. As I was taking a sip I saw her amusement in her eyes.. "Y-Yang why did you take me out to e-eat and I d-don't think that i-it's because of the bumping i-into you a-accident earlier? I-I mean not t-to be r-rude but we don't e-even talk.. I-I think this is the first time I've ever h-had a one on one conversation with you a-all year long.." I questioned her while looking straight into her eyes, when I did that I saw a bit of sadness in her eyes before she gave me her answer, "Ah, well you see Rubes. I kinda always wanted to get to know ya after that Whiterose incident but when I tried to search for ya I was always swooped away by my other friends resulting in not looking for ya." She giggled nervously before taking a sip of her drink and then going on again, "Same thing happens when we go to class, I want to talk but I can never seem to reach ya." She finished off with.

I look at her with realization in my face and now I feel bad that I tried to push her away, but this means friendship and I can't have that. I begin to panic but I see her face it was full of hope and I couldn't reject her with that face She was giving me and so I relaxed, "I- thank you Yang." I smiled at her, it was a small smile but it was an honest smile that I could give to her for now, she gave me toothy smile back before she was rushing to get our food.

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The time we left, it was 6:30 pm when we met it was only 3:00 pm we spent 2 and half hours just talking well mostly her. I mean I do know her a lot better now, like how she likes kick-boxing so much she goes to the gym every weekend for lessons, oh and how she loves the color yellow so much that one day she'll buy a cool yellow motorcycle to race anybody in and win she says, and so much more. In exchange though she got know me a bit more as well, I think she knows me better than anyone I've ever met in the last three years has known me, which was a very nice change for once but I had to remind myself that I can't be close to her like this again because it would only lead to more problems later on.

I looked up at the sky as I was walking home, it was dusk already, I guess I don't have to be really worried about Blake seeing me. Hmm Blake, I began to have these fuzzy feelings in my stomach as I think of her, she was the first person to ever defend me from the Ice princess, She even acknowledged me when most people wouldn't. I smiled, Blake was a really nice person in my eyes but there was something off about her and I can't figure it out and I really want too. I sighed it wasn't my business to think about others like this but she always seemed to come into my mind when I don't want her too. My thoughts were startled back to the present as I heard multiple male voices yell out down a alleyway up ahead of me, I slowly walked towards the side of the building before you turn down there. When I peaked around the corner what I saw pained me.

Three male teenagers were violently beating a female faunas, she was in the fetal position crying and trying to protect her face but her body was taking all the damage they were doing to her and if it keeps going on any longer like this she might die... My eyes narrowed at the guys, I never understood the hate for them faunas's didn't deserve any of this! So thinking in anger I Examining the area around me there wasn't many people out here so no one really heard this or maybe they didn't choose to hear…. Next I examined the ground in the area I was at to see if there was anything that I could use as a potential weapon, unfortunately there wasn't. I bit my bottom lip, I have no choice but to use my hands but I have to surprise attack them if I have any chance to win! I breathed in and out, already making my decision, I took my backpack off setting it down near the edge of the building and stuffing my bought milk inside the backpack, I then put my hood of my jacket up It was large enough to conceal my upper face so no one could really know who I was if those teenagers were from Beacon High. I gulped, I really am an idiot I thought before charging as fast as I could while pulling back my left arm and closing my hand into a fist.

I punched the the first guy in front of me right in his face with all my momentum I had from that run, he got knocked out first try. The other two were stunned and so using my right hand I socked the second guy right in his face too but this time he didn't knock out to it but he did stumble back, I rushed forward using all my force again into my left hand into punching his stomach he clutched his side's as he fell face first into the ground, groaning in pain. The third guy had already recovered from the shock as he growled at me, "YOU LIL BASTARD!" He screamed at me before lunging me, I flinched as he rammed me into the wall full force, the air was sucked out of me as he began punching my face. Looking down with one eye at the female faunas She had Brown bunny ears and hair, she was looking at me with concern that I didn't need right now so I gritted my teeth before yelling as loud as I could at her, "RUN NOW!" Her dark brown eyes widened before struggling to get up to run out of alleyway.

The guy that was beating my face screamed at me again when he saw that. "HOW DARE YOU LET A FAUNAS GO, YOU FUCKING ANIMAL LOVER!" I smirked at him before spitting up my blood at his face, he got even more pissed at me but before he could start punching me again I gave him knee jab at his crotch area. He fell to the floor in pain and I used this distraction as a way to escape myself so with whatever adrenaline I had left I bolted out of there immediately getting my stuff from the ground next to the building and then running off to the apartment complex not looking back, but I felt like someone was watching me...

When I stumbled inside my room I was so depleted of my energy, my whole body hurts too, I'm never playing hero again... As I got my bearings again I got the damned milk inside my refrigerator, I hate milk in this moment because if it wasn't for that I wouldn't have done what I did today. I groaned in pain I'm going to be SO sore tomorrow, hmm maybe I won't go to school tomorrow I don't think I'll be able too. Lucky for me tomorrow's Friday so I don't really have to complain about doing double the homework When I get back on Monday. Before going to bed I took two Tylenol's and so I stumbled off to bed not caring what I was wearing, I just needed rest….

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** I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE RWBY CHARACTERS SO DON'T SUE ME YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING... **

**Leave a comment please!**


	3. Chapter 3: Things are changing

**Hello dear readers! I have come back for a new chapter of Oh,No! This time with a beta-reader that helped me out on this chapter and for whatever number of chapters I make, hopefully! **

**Enough of my talking, I'll let you read this now! **

**Beta-reader: YellowSign**

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My whole body felt like it had been trampled on, especially my face. I struggled to look up at the clock, the bright neon showing it was 4:00 pm; wow, I slept the whole day away! I yawned but almost immediately I flinched in pain. Ow… I knew I should check how my face looked; it's probably nothing pretty. When I limped my way to the bathroom, I looked into the mirror and sure enough I looked worse than crap. I had a swollen black eye and bruises everywhere, and I pretended not to notice the dried up blood on my chin. I shook my head, dang I'm never playing hero again, it's not worth it, but if I didn't save her I would have lived with a guilty conscience, knowing that I could have done something. I sighed before turning on the sink and grabbing a towel next to it. I wet the towel to clean my face, wincing in pain every time I applied too much pressure to a cut or a bruise, ever so slowly removing the dirt and dried blood. When I was done I stripped off my jacket and examined my arms; there were large, red marks where I had been grabbed. I frowned; I hated those three for attacking the female faunas, she probably did nothing wrong to them but she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope she's okay and safe with her family... and now that I think about it the girl did seem really familiar.

Shaking my head I left the bathroom and walked to my living room. It was a bit larger than my bedroom and housed a two-seater couch, a small and battered coffee table and a small HD TV. It wasn't much, but it was enough for me; I wasn't really the materialistic type. Anyway, as I sat down on my couch I cast my mind back to the bunny-eared girl again. Resting my head in my hands I leant back, a slight frown adorning my face as I scoured my brain for any memories relating to the faunus girl. I swear she looked familiar! Try as I might, I couldn't come up with anything, and feeling a headache coming on, I stopped worrying about it. I knew it'd bug me until I remembered who it was, but oh well! I laughed a tired laugh at this, realizing just how shattered I was. Hungry as I was, I realized I wouldn't be eating today either. Deciding that the inviting, open space of my couch was perfect for my needs, I ungracefully fell onto it, wincing a little as pain shot through my body at the sudden movement.

I glanced up at the clock on my wall above my TV; by now it was 5:35 pm. Due to my current state of exhaustion, I was only up around another hour before I gave into the inevitable, looking back down with half lidded eyes. My last thoughts before falling asleep were that I still had a veritable mountain of homework still to do, but before I could act on this I was drifting off.

Waking up the next day was easier than yesterday; I wasn't wincing as much when I yawned. My ever-reliable wall clock showed it was 7:25 am, and a sudden and loud grumbling from my stomach told me to eat something. Giggling to myself, I got up to head to my small kitchen, strategically hidden behind my couch. With it still being relatively early, I got a cup of top ramen from one of my kitchen shelves above the stove. Following the instructions, I placed the half-made noodles in the microwave for 3 minutes to cook, and while that was heating up, I went to the refrigerator to get that accursed carton of milk. I poured a full glass to drink; I was still having this love/hate relationship with that milk. A beeping snapped me out of my mini-reverie, the aroma of the ramen wafting over even through the microwave door. Opening it up, I retrieved the steaming hot cup of noodles, humming a happy tune as I smelt the full intensity of the ramen.

Time for breakfast! Barely letting the noodles cool I wolfed them down, burping loudly as I finished. Wanting to save the cleaning up for later, I nevertheless got up to throw away the cup and put the dirty glass into the sink. Limping a little to my room, I began to get fresh clothing out from inside my medium sized dresser, favoring something loose. When I had the clothing I needed, I went out of my room to my bathroom and put my clothes on top of the sink counter; I kinda needed to cleanse myself of sweat, so starting the shower I began to strip off my dirty clothes, placing them in a rough pile by the bathroom door.

After the shower I dressed in a loose white tank top and black basketball shorts, red vertical stripes on the side. My reflection in the steamed-up bathroom mirror caught my eye, and I saw that the swelling on my right eye had gone down slightly and it looked a little better, but not by much; the other bruises were going a colorful mixture of purples and greens. I knew they would take a while to heal, but they looked to be nicely on their way, which was good! I knew I'd had a long shower, but I was certainly surprised when I walked out of my bathroom and saw that the clocks hands were at 10:05 am. Oh how the morning had flown by, I jokingly thought with a small grin. Still, with that much time gone I had to get on with my homework; it was math again, the subject that was my constant sore spot, but somehow I always managed at least a B- on it. I grunted as I picked up my backpack that lay discarded by the entrance to my room, before setting it down beside the coffee table whilst I sat down on the small space between the table and couch. I then began to get the necessary supplies out of my backpack to begin the monotonous and hated math homework.

When I eventually finished the homework assignment, I got up to stretch my aching legs. I quickly debated whether to go out for a stroll and get some fresh air or just go out onto my balcony, before deciding on the latter. Fortunately, this apartment had balconies, but only for the ones that lived on the front facing of the building. Luckily I was one of them. Opening the glass screen door situated to the right side of my TV, I felt a nice Autumn breeze waft in and hit my face. Closing my eyes gently and breathing in the cool air I felt properly relaxed for the first time in a while. I was perfectly willing to stand there in the breeze for hours, hair billowing slightly as a gust picked up, but inevitably something seemed a little off. Turning my head to the right, I saw a girl with long, flowing black hair sitting on a purple painted, wooden chair. Her back was to me but I knew who it was immediately when I saw the unmistakable purple bow atop her head.

Any normal person in this situation would slowly back into their flat, closing the screen door as quietly as possible to avoid detection. Sadly, I wasn't exactly normal, so being the way I was I shrieked in a high pitched voice, alerting her to the fact that someone else was out here. I saw that she was turning to look at where I was standing to see what kind of idiot would shriek like that, but before she had the chance to catch me I darted inside, closing the screen door behind me.

Ahh, the transfer student named Blake; I had almost forgotten about you, but you always did have a way of creeping back into my head and life in the most interesting of ways. Leaning on the screen door for support, lost in my thoughts of Blake, I noticed that the time was already 3:00 pm. I exhaled heavily before pushing myself off the door. I was feeling tired once again, so I went to my room to rest. It was only a small room but it was enough for me and my style; my bed was wrinkled from sleeping there the day before, its red sheets and a light burgundy blanket screwed up in a heap at the foot of the bed. Next to where my pillows were was a small, white square table to keep my alarm clock on, and at the foot of the bed was a mini dresser where all my clothes were. I made a quick mental note to wash my dirty clothes tomorrow.

At the head of my bed was a small window, the curtain usually closed to block out the sun. A fortunate side effect of this was that most of the time, my room was the coolest and darkest place in my apartment. Flopping down onto my bed ungracefully, I exhaled slowly; at least the strain on my body was going away. I closed my eyes, and before I knew it I was fast asleep, my dreams worryingly often featuring Blake.

When I woke the only light source was my digital clock. It was 10 pm so I heaved myself up from my bed with a yawn and went to make a quick snack, more out of force of habit than anything else; I wasn't really hungry at this time of night. As I turned on the living room lights to head to the kitchen, I heard a loud slam, probably a door, outside my apartment. Being naturally curious, I went to my door and quietly opened it just enough to peek out. As I did so, I saw a tall guy with a long black trenchcoat and spiky red hair walk by, heading to where the stairs were. The way he walked made it seem as if he was angered by something, I heard him growl out a name, it was almost like he said… Blake? He stopped just before he reached the stairs; it was like he knew I was staring. With a horrible inevitability, he turned around and looked straight at me. I froze. I don't know why I froze, but I did. We made eye contact, his eyebrows furrowed together in a frown.

I noticed his small black horns, poking through his hair and indicating he was a faunus. I saw the way his hair was swept back to a certain extent. I noticed a lot of things about this strange and dangerous man. But the one thing I would take away from that whole event was the hate in his eyes. Those crimson orbs seemed to burn into me, brief flashes of anguish and grief flickering across, only to be replaced by a fearsome and terrifying loathing. I felt as if he wanted to kill me there and then, a blind fury slowly enveloping him and causing his entire body to shake. The smoldering anger was quickly giving way as wrath began pooling deep within those fearsome eyes and he turned his entire body to face me.

I had never been more scared in my life. Instinctively I squeaked out an apology to him before slamming my door in fear, hoping, praying that he would walk on by and not make his way over here. I leant against the door, my heart in my mouth, and I waited for five terrifying minutes before steadily rising off the floor. I walked stiffly to the kitchen, hoping never to see him again. I also had a horrible feeling that he had been in Blake's room…

Trying to calm my nerves from that hateful and venomous stare, I grabbed a random bag of chips from one of my small shelves beside the refrigerator. Hurriedly opening the bag, I thrust my still-shaking hand in and stuffed a messy handful of chips into my mouth; hehe I guess I'm a nervous eater. Wiping my hands on the couch, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and tidy up myself before going to bed, my hands still shaking slightly from the shock of the earlier encounter. That night, my dreams were haunted by the merciless blood-red eyes, boring into me and leaving me feeling hollow and empty.

Sunday wasn't really interesting, which was a good thing! Tired from a restless night, all I really did was sneak my way down to the laundry room to wash my clothes and then sneak back up to my room when I was done, just I could laze around all day again. My homework had been done the previous day, and I had more than enough cheap, crappy food to keep me going for a while. After some of the stresses recently, it was nice being able to just relax and do nothing, even if it was kind of boring. Barring a mini-epiphany at just how much I watched the clock, I enjoyed the freedom I had that Sunday to the full.

Monday rolled by and I was at school once again and on my way to my first period class. I was vaguely aware of some weird stares, probably from the severe bruising on my face that was likely to remain for a while; I'd taken quite the beating! The pointed fingers and whispering behind guarded hands did little to help my self-esteem. I then saw Weiss approaching, an angry expression levelled at me. Damn...

"So you finally came back?" She spoke with disappointment before smirking evilly at me, "What a shame, I was hoping you'd left for good." She laughed at her own words and I flinched before speaking in a defeated tone,

"I-I'm sorry." I tried to walk past her and end my torment but she grabbed my left arm and rammed into the wall hard, causing me to wince in pain; it seemed I had a bruise there that I didn't know about. I quickly scanned the corridor for help but found none. Where were the teachers!?

"And where do you think you're going, dolt?" She questioned me, her arm tightening its vice-like grip on mine. I began to mumble at her and I closed my eyes in defeat. "Answer me you idi- WHA!?" Why did she scream like that? When I cautiously opened one eye, I saw Weiss being lifted up by… Yang!? My mouth hung open in disbelief as I watched the scene unfold before me. "W-what are you doing y-you brute!" Weiss was struggling to get out of Yang's grip; her white side-ponytail was whipping around wildly as she flailed about to no avail.

I heard Yang laugh in amusement before responding, "Just thought I'd give you a lift to your class, princess!" and with that she began to carry Weiss to our English class. I was still standing there like an idiot but I saw Yang's head turn towards me, "Come on Rubes don't wanna be late to the joys of English!" I nodded automatically before rushing to her side, taking care to stay well away from the now-furious Weiss. I saw people snickering at the scene as they walked to their classes. In desperation, Weiss was trying to kick Yang both in retribution and to release her, and Yang all but ignoring her actions, that smirk still plastered across her face.

As we walked, Yang questioned me about my absence and how I ended up looking so battered. I didn't quite know how to answer, still too shocked about what was going on and unwilling to let Weiss hear regardless. I briefly wondered how the staff or teachers had not heard or seen any of the past few minutes, but I shrugged it off, knowing I had bigger things to deal with. Yang was proving harder to persuade, and she pressed for answers, refusing to relent. "Yo Rubes! Tell me what happened!" She playfully bumped me with her hip as she said this, jolting a now quietly seething Weiss about and throwing her ponytail into her face.

"Oh w-well after we separated at the mall I was w-walking home a-and I was ambushed! By these m-male teenagers and I w-won but n-not without getting a few bruises.." I stammered. Not willing to reveal the bit about the faunus, I lied a little bit in the hopes that Yang would cease her questioning. Unfortunately, it seemed my bluff was too obvious, and Yang and Weiss stared at me incredulously, Weiss especially. I got nervous as Weiss spoke up, "Come again?" Yang glanced at the other girl before turning to me, "Yeah, what she said!"

"Uhh, o-oh look our classroom!" I laughed nervously before rushing inside. I heard Weiss resume her yelling and Yang continued to brush it off with a laugh. Hmm, I should probably thank Yang after class... All throughout English I kept staring either Blake or Yang; those two were the only ones that had helped me deal with the ice princess. I couldn't help but feel that there was a difference in how I felt about the two. With Blake I got a weird and giddy sensation when she defended me, but that could be because she was the first to ever do so. Thinking about it, I don't think so; I've always felt that differently about Blake from the day I first saw her. Yang I only felt appreciation for, I didn't feel any sort of weird feelings for her actions in defending me. I smiled to myself; in the end all that matters is someone actually cares.

Next period was art class taught by Mr. Roman Torchwick, a stylistic young man who sported a cane, this combined with his sarcastic demeanor and his mocking-like body language made him my favorite teacher here. "Today class, we're starting a new project, and you'll be partnering up." He smirked, "And to avoid the inevitable ruckus, I have already picked who is partnered with whom." He flashed us a list with the names of each member of the class scrawled on it. He began to read from his list, arranged alphabetically by surname. I paid as little attention as I thought I could get away with; we didn't even know what this project would be, so it wasn't worth stressing about it already. My mini daydreaming session was brought to an abrupt end when I heard him call, "Blake Belladonna you will be partnered up with Ruby Rose." A loud crack was heard from my seat; it seems I broke my mechanical pencil.

I blushed in embarrassment as _everyone_ stared at me, before putting my head down and trudging over to where Blake was standing, art supplies in hand. I started messing with my bangs to calm my nerves while he called out names, still uneasy around Blake. I felt her stare at me and she whispered in my ear, "You know, you don't have to be so nervous around me." I looked up to her and nodded with a slight smile before being startled back to reality when Mr. Torchwick's cane smacked against the whiteboard rather loudly.

"Okay class, the next step in this project is listening to my instructions!" Mr. Torchwick was a man who didn't like to repeat himself. "Today you have been partnered up because I want to see how people who seem to having nothing in common can work together to make art." He stated, "But! The twist is that both your work has to coincide with one another. By that, I mean it has to at least look harmonious. I do NOT want something you both just copy n pasted!" he yelled, his passion seeping through. Say what you want about Torchwick, at least he truly cared for the arts. "You have the first half of this week to finish so use it wisely. Oh, and the paper you'll be using is a poster type which is right here on my desk." He finished before heading off to the back of the room where his own personal art supplies were.

Blake got up to fetch the paper and when she got back, I spoke up, "Um, c-can I see some of your work so I can s-see what we can m-make?" I stuttered, still nervous around the mysterious girl. We looked at each other before Blake nodded and moved to get some of her previous works; I did the same. "Here." We said in unison, causing a vivid blush to color my cheeks and a small one to color hers. As I looked through her works, I felt a bit sad. They all had this grim-dark sense to them, each primarily in black and white. I wondered whether this was intentional, and was about to ask. When I saw her face however, I noticed the faintest of smiles gracing her features and that made my heart beat quicken, my question all but forgotten.

"I really like your drawing style and how you color them so vibrantly." She spoke while still looking at them, my heart swelling with joy as I heard that. "I-I like how for some of them you shade your art instead of coloring, and how you make the people realistic instead of cartoonish like mine." I shyly smiled at the complement and I saw her eyes widen a little and her cheeks go faintly pink before she swiftly turned her head away, humming in acknowledgement. I grinned childishly before nudging her side; I don't know why I was being so bold all of a sudden but I decided to roll with it. "Oh Bla-ake. Did I just see you blush?" She grunted quietly before turning back to me calmly.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ruby." I puffed out my cheeks in annoyance at her composure before shaking my head.

"Fine b-be that way but we still need to think of an idea for this." I let her win this time, but not without reminding her why we're here in the first place. Blake hummed in thought once again before speaking up.

"Well both styles really clash with one another; I draw grim, dark, and realistic situations while you draw happy, vibrant, and colored cartoon characters with bright backgrounds." She looked at both of our art works, "It'll be a challenge for sure, but nothing we can't work around." She gestured at the works laid out in front of her.

"O-oh maybe we can do something like a yin yang?" I said, full of my youthful optimism, but Blake shook her head no.

"That's far too common for Mr. Torchwick don't you think?" She tilted her head at me quizzically and I nodded in agreement; Torchwick clearly had big plans for this project, and I doubted he would accept something like that. Still, I expected at least one team to try it. I closed my eyes to help me concentrate, subconsciously stroking my chin with my thumb and index finger. Blake poked me, snapping me back to reality, "It's time for lunch, maybe when we have a little food in our stomachs we'll think of something, right?" She said as she was packing her things. I'd lost track of the time, and didn't even know it was time to go, so I quickly shoved my supplies into my backpack and I looked up to see Blake was waiting for me at the door with the blank poster paper. Most of the students were already gone.

"Sorry." I mumbled when we began walking to the cafeteria. Blake waved her arm at me to show it wasn't that big of a deal.

"It's okay. You don't have to say sorry to me, I have all the time in the world." Blake said with a slight smile to me. I looked away as I played with my bangs; suddenly they were the most interesting thing around and I fixed my attention on messing with my hair and not the gentle smile on the girl to my right. The usual queue for dinner passed without incident, but when we both got our lunches, she suggested that we eat outside because it was the quietest at this time and that would cause fewer distractions. That was the plan at least; when a boisterous blonde sauntered over it became all too apparent that Yang was going to hang out with us, so we moved to a table under a tree for more shade, Yang and I sitting together while Blake sat alone.

"So you two are the artists in our little friendship group?" Yang grinned at us, Blake rolled her eyes at her, and I just giggled; we're all just good acquaintances NOT friends Yang.

"I-it seems so Yang." I politely responded back to her, smiling a little. Wanting to change the topic I turned to face Blake, "Erm, so do you have any ideas of what to draw Blake?"

She shook her head at me before saying solemnly, "I'm not really good at coming up with ideas like this, sorry."

I whined at her, "N-no, it's okay. We'll figure something out." An awkward silence fell, punctuated only by Yang's loud crunching of her taco; it was taco Monday.

"So what I'm hearing is both of you two have a little art blockage?" Yang said, with food still in her mouth. I nodded at her and saw Blake looking slightly disgusted at Yang talking with her mouth full. Fortunately, Yang swallowed her food before speaking again, "What do you guys have to do?" As I explained what the project wanted from us and just how different our work was, Yang's face began to droop, but she quickly regained her bright look, "Maybe you two can, like, outline each other's works!" Blake and I each shot her a confused look and she sighed before explaining in more detail, "So Blake can do the background on a separate piece of paper while you do the foreground. Then, the two of you put it together and see if it looks any good. I mean, you do draw really great art Rubes." She finished off with a toothy grin.

Wait, how did she know I can draw? I've never shown anyone besides Blake, so how did she know? I think she read my mind because she gave a nervous laugh before retrieving a piece of paper from her hand bag. "Haha, I found this in the hallway once on my to the principal's office." She handed me the piece of paper and the instant I saw it, I blushed profusely. This was my cover picture for a little comic I made called 'The Red Rose Vs. The Ice Princess.' It starred a stylized version of me, clad in a black long-sleeved corset shirt with a bullet casing belt slung around my waist. This was connected to a black battle-skirt with red lining, and black leggings with calve high black and red boots completed the ensemble, a long red cape billowing behind me. Clutched in my arms was a high tech sniper-scythe.

My adversary was Weiss, looking pristine in a white one-piece battle dress, a long sleeved cream jacket worn over it and around her waist was tied a deep red sash. This version of Weiss had no leggings but wore white calf-high boots and both her hands gripped a pure white fencing sword, by the looks of it a stylized epee. We were glaring at each other across a ruined battlefield, faces distorted by frowns. "Uh..." was all I could say when I saw this again, quickly stuffing my face with my uneaten food to try and distract me from the crushing embarrassment.

I felt embarrassed yet strangely proud that Yang had actually kept this, because I drew it back in early October and it was November right now. My reaction earned guffaws from Yang and quiet giggling from Blake, the giggles stinging more somehow. Trying my best to ignore them and the blush rising to my face once more, I focussed on finishing my food. After I'd done, I was subjected to one of Yang's lung crushing hugs, "Ah, you're too cute Ruby! I'm surprised the guys aren't lining up to get to know you! Mind you, you'd probably kill them with cuteness!" Yang exclaimed laughing. I struggled a bit and she let go of me, but she still continued to laugh.

I looked at Blake for support, only to see her grinning too. Knowing this was a lost cause for now, I nervously smiled at Yang's maniac behavior for a while before the giggles finally petered out. I turned back to Blake again, "Well Yang's idea seems like it has a lot of potential." I saw Yang fist pump at this; I shook my head before continuing, "So do you wanna try her idea?" Blake nodded in approval. It was settled then; we'd try out Yang's idea and just hope it worked out. "Great! So if we both bring in what we've done tomorrow and look at it in class, we can decide from there!"

I smiled joyfully at two of them. I've noticed that I've been smiling a lot lately; it feels nice. I rarely smiled before, at least not with a genuine smile. I saw that they both were nodding their heads at me in appreciation. Remember Ruby, they are only just good school acquaintances; they are NOT your friends. I couldn't afford to have friends anymore; I knew that, though those thoughts seemed harder to believe than before...

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**I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE RWBY CHARACTERS SO DON'T SUE ME YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING...**

**Leave a comment please!**


	4. Chapter 4: From bad to good

**Hello! I am back with a new and long as hell chapter of Oh No! It's been awhile but that's okay because I make up for it with this chapter, but first I want to thank everyone who follows, favorites, and reviews my story! It motivates me to write chapters and become better!  
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**Before you read the chapter my beta-reader has something important to say!**

**YellowSign: Hi all, just quickly saying thank you to everyone for reading this; it has a huge amount of potential and hopefully together we're realising that. I want to appologise both to you guys and Animewarrior12 for the delays with this chapter, a lot of RL stuff happened and is likely to slow down these updates. Also, this chapter IS almost 10,000 words, so it took a lot of going through, but the problems are my end. I was sent this a week ago, the delay is purely me, but if you're willing to forgive that then I think this chapter is a good one.**

**Now, enjoy this chapter!**

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The next day at school was significantly more pleasant, if only because it seemed that Weiss had backed off on her constant tirades at me for a bit, though she did still glare. I really should thank Yang for that, and given that I was already seated in first period, now was as good a time as any. I looked up to where Yang's desk was and noted a distinct lack of blonde hair; she wasn't there. I sighed; I had almost forgotten she was notorious for being late for class, so much so that most of the teachers here stopped caring. I guess I could try and catch her after class.

With no real way of contacting Yang for now, I glanced over to where Blake sat, these funny feelings dancing around in my stomach and making me feel like there were butterflies in there. I sighed out loud, not noticing Blake's head turn slightly at that. I tried to convince myself that I was just nervous about showing her what I done for the project, but that was pretty hard to believe right now. It seemed I had been staring at her for too long because she was staring right back at me and I hadn't even noticed. I blushed vividly and looked back down at my binder, trying to hide my obvious embarrassment. I flinched when I heard the door slam open and saw a flash of certain yellow hair bolt towards a certain empty desk just as the bell rang but chuckled to myself as I realized who it was, before paying attention to Mr. Bartholomew's jittery voice as he started the lesson.

After a decidedly uneventful class I walked up to where Yang's desk was, the taller girl cramming her school supplies unceremoniously into her shoulder bag. I poked her arm to get her attention but she didn't notice at first, so I poked her a bit harder. At this, Yang stopped packing her bag and turned her head towards me, her eyebrow raised, signalling for me to talk. I scratched the back of my head, suddenly nervous.

"Um, Yang I just wanted to t-thank you for y-yesterday." A brief look of confusion darted across her face before she realized what I was talking about.

"Oh THAT! Well you don't need to thank me," she ruffled my hair, "That's what friends do for each other. We help each other out." Yang flashed a grin at me; I looked away from her before nodding shyly. Peering through my bangs, I saw a glimmer of hurt in eyes before she sighed. "I hope one day you'll see that you can trust me Ruby." My eyes widened and I was now staring at her incredulously; it was the most serious tone I had ever heard from her. Yang waited for a moment, presumably to see whether I was going to say anything, and when I didn't, she slowly turned and walked away.

As I watched her, I felt a slight pang in my chest. All throughout second and most of my third period I was unable to concentrate, my mind constantly going back to what Yang had said and it left me feeling uneasy. What gave her the right to say that? She didn't understand my situation and she never would understand it; it's not like she lost everything and had to start a new life alone! It's not like she has to keep secrets day in, day out, because if she tells someone what's wrong with her life, they will start to look on her with scorn and disgust! It's not lik- "Miss. Rose, are you okay?" Startled, I looked up to see my math teacher Ms. Glynda glaring down at me with what looked like pity. She repeated what she had said, "Are you okay Miss. Rose? You seem to be crying..."

As I stared at her deep, green eyes, I reached a hand up to my face to feel if there actually were tears there and I gasped in disbelief. I couldn't believe it; I was actually crying in public... Public, my eyes widened and darted around the classroom; everyone was staring at me with puzzled faces. I hurried to get up, to get out of here as I felt tears building up even faster than before; when I saw Ms. Glynda approaching and trying to calm me down, I backed away in anger and shame, but ended up tripping over my chair leg and falling shoulder first onto the cold tile floor.

As I hit the floor, a few gasps could be heard around the room. Clearly none of the other students had anticipated my little tumble. Murmurs of 'is she ok?' and 'that looked like a bad fall!' filled my head as I pushed myself up, dazed and injured. But all too soon, the worried atmosphere was shattered by a spiteful and cruel laugh that I knew only too well; Weiss. Normally she would have said something but I guess Yang's actions yesterday made more of an impact on her than I first thought. It still hurt though, the bitter and cutting tone resonating throughout the room and echoing in my mind, even though I tried to stop it. A small part of me was strangely grateful that she had at least waited until I was obviously ok before laughing, but I quickly pushed that thought aside and ran out of the room, head turned downwards to obscure my tears.

"Miss. Rose!" Ms. Glynda called after me, her voice raised in concern but by that point I was already gone, my stuff left behind.

Throwing the door open I headed to the bathrooms, needing a place to let out all the anguish. I hated Yang right now for making me feel like this, even if it was incidental. As I hurtled down the corridor I was sure I heard people calling after me but I paid them no heed. All I needed was somewhere to go, somewhere to let out all the hurt and the pain that was constantly building up and threatening to overflow. Flinging open the flimsy wooden door, pausing just long enough to make sure it was the Ladies, I collapsed in a heap by the sinks, too broken to even make it to a cubicle.

I had no idea how long I had been lying there, but it couldn't have been more than about five minutes. By that point, my tears had run dry, and only the occasional sob wracked my body. Trying to force myself to stop, I heard someone come in. "Oh my!" Exclaimed a reserved but surprised voice. I looked up quickly, worried I had been discovered by someone who would tell, or even worse; Weiss. Staring through a haze of what remained of my tears at the stranger, I saw the blurred outline of long, flowing brown hair that reached down to her back, complementing her worry-filled hazel eyes perfectly. She was dressed in a baby blue button-up blouse with dark blue form-fitting denim jeans, a pair of white sneakers with yellow accents completing the ensemble.

"Are you okay? I-I mean of course you're not okay!" She corrected herself, rambling in panic. "Why are you crying?" She hesitantly asked. Why _was_ I crying? I knew it was because of what Yang had said, but why did it affect me so much that I was left sobbing at school? Deep down I knew the answer, but how could I even begin to tell a stranger something I can't even bear to tell someone I actually know? A whimper slipped out of my mouth and before I knew what was happening I was enveloped into a warm hug by this stranger, my head resting against her shoulder and one hand resting on the small of my back for support. She gently began stroking my head with her other hand, running her fingers through my tangled mess of hair, "I-it's okay, whatever you're dealing with right now you'll get through it." She hummed, soothing me and calming my racing heartbeat before squeezing me tighter into her hug.

When I was sufficiently calmed down, she let go of me, the occasional sniffle and the raw red eyes the only evidence of my earlier crying. Now that I was calmer and my vision was clearer, I got a better look at the kindhearted soul who had stopped to comfort me. I took in her clear complexion and her gentle brown eyes once more before noticing the bunny ears flopping atop of her head. Wait.… I gasped as I realized just who this person was, "You're the faunas I saved last week!" I blurted out. Sure, it had been dark and I hadn't managed to get a good look at her face, but I was almost certain I was right! Now I knew where I recognized her from! I stood nervously, waiting to see whether she recognized me in return. Ever so briefly, a flash of confusion darted across her eyes before recognition took over and her eyes widened as she saw my red jacket.

"Y-you're the one who saved me!?" She practically shouted, her timid voice seeming not to fit such an exclamation. She seemed to think so too, as she swiftly covered her mouth with her hands, a light blush tinting her cheeks. Tears were glinting in the corners of her eyes and she swiftly pulled me into a hug, but this time harder, lifting me off the ground as she did so. What a twist of events this was, I smiled, watery-eyed once again but this time out of joy. "T-thank you so much!" She exclaimed, her voice betraying the slight undertones of uncertainty she was feeling, but I ignored that for now, patting her back before pulling away and standing at arms distance, my left hand lingering gently on her opposing shoulder.

"N-no problem! I'm Ruby and it's nice to see you're okay, Uhh..." I didn't know her name so I motioned awkwardly for her to tell me, my free hand going in a circular motion to indicate this. She was confused for a moment until she realized what I was wanting.

"Oh! My name is Velvet Scarlatina; it's nice to meet you Ruby!" She greeted at me with a squeaky voice before giving me a small smile, clearly slightly embarrassed. I hadn't spent long around Velvet, but what little time I had spent had taught me that she was always in a rush to be seen as polite, sometimes berating herself when she felt she hadn't managed this. We stood there for a while, the situation that could have been awkward instead seeming fine, and although I was secretly glad nobody else had come into the toilet, I defiantly told myself I wouldn't have cared. The dull, metallic ring of the bell told us both that class had finished and the next one would soon begin, but we were still staring at each other, smiling. There was a certain innocence about Velvet that made me happy, genuinely happy. I could spend hours in her presence if not for lessons. Sighing, I removed my arm from Velvet's shoulder and reached for my backpack. Ah, I still need my backpack!

"Um, i-it's nice to really meet you Velvet b-but I need to get my stuff from the c-classroom!" I rushed out, hoping that she would get the message. She blinked a couple of times at me before nodding.

"M-me too, Ruby! Maybe we c-can hang out sometime later. As a repayment for saving me!" She squeaked out at me and I nervously giggled.

"Yeah t-that sounds nice, Velvet." I jogged to the door before stopping to let her out first, and we both stood outside the toilet for a second before I spoke up. "Thank you for comforting me just now, I really needed that." I smiled and dashed off to my math class before she could say anything more, partially due to the time constraints and partially to prevent her from seeing the blush creeping its way onto my face.

* * *

I sheepishly opened the door to my math class, hoping that Ms. Glynda had left but no such luck. I saw her sat at her large wooden desk reading, my backpack on the floor by her feet. I was a little surprised that she was still here; her fourth period was her only free period that day, and most teachers jumped at the chance to relax in the teachers' lounge. I gulped slightly comically while breathing in a long breath; I didn't want to get on the wrong side of my least favorite teacher. This had nothing to do with her teaching math, but because she usually gave off this 'I don't really like you' vibe, seemingly directed at me. Her appearance made her seem even more intimidating than she might have otherwise been, her short platinum-blonde hair that was held in a ponytail and her sinister bright green eyes that peered through a pair of thin glasses always causing a lump in my throat. Ms. Glynda almost always wore the same things, her wardrobe consisting of white button-up collar shirts tucked into black work pants, black open heels clicking whenever she walked.

As I resignedly approached her desk to grab my stuff, she looked up from the paper she was skimming through. "Miss. Rose, may I have a word with you." Her formal way of speaking made me nervous but I nodded anyway. "You caused quite the scene today when I caught you crying." The way she said it was still as formal as before but perhaps a little gentler. The sudden resonating ring of the bell signifying the start of the next lesson caused me to flinch slightly but I managed to keep eye contact. "Why did you react the way you did?" She finished off with that dreaded sentence and it felt like my stomach had plummeted. Staring into those piercing green eyes of hers made me shiver a little; she was only adult that made me this apprehensive.

"W-well you see I just had a bad d-dream in which I fell onto my bruise on my eye, and that s-startled me awake." I stuttered out. "As I woke up, I then ended up falling on it in real life and it's b-been hurting me so much since this morning. B-but I don't want to go to the nurses or anything b-because I want to get good g-grades!" I finished off, desperate not to be even later to my next class than I already was. She gave me a disbelieving stare but she let it slide, probably out of pity. "Here." Was all she said when she wrote me a pass to my next class, I grinned cheesily at her before grabbing it and running, ignoring her cry for me to slow down as I did so.

As I slinked into my art class as quietly as possible, everyone was already paired up; well almost everyone... Ignoring the disapproving stares I walked to Mr. Torchwick's desk and placed the pass in his hand. Barely looking at it he hummed in approval and motioned for me to sit down. Not wanting to start the lesson off on a bad note, I turned to rush over to where Blake was sat and practically threw myself onto a chair. As I was sitting down, I noticed her looking curiously at me out of the corner of my eye and a ghost of a frown was on her brow. Getting my work out of my backpack I answered the unspoken question. "My math teacher just wanted to talk to me about a few things." I lied easily, looking up at her as I got my paper sketch out of my binder, "That's why was late to class." Either Blake believed my story or she didn't care, but she nodded at me as we showed each other the work we had done the night before.

As we had agreed, Blake had worked on the background, a scattering of seemingly random black rose petals covered the page, and resting upon them and casting a slight shadow was a rose with alternate black and white petals, the stem having been cut a few inches down. The detail on the rose was superb; the gentle curves of the thorns contrasting nicely with the delicate and frail flower. In many ways, this was a work of art in and of itself, but the plan was to add my work atop it and, hopefully, create something greater than the sum of its parts.

I felt slightly embarrassed showing her my work, but I put that down to nerves. I had never intentionally revealed my work to someone before, and now that she was looking at my crudely drawn sketches, I suddenly felt childish for drawing in my cartoony style. I picked this up from many hours reading action comics and manga's, and the occasional TV series I managed to catch, but looking at her beautifully sculpted rose made me feel inadequate with my style. I almost felt foolish for being unable to capture the elegance that Blake had managed, although I knew almost no-one else in the class would be anywhere near her standard which did make me feel a little bit better.

I had drawn two figures that were clearly versions of Blake and me, similar in both style and design to my previous work that Yang had found. The version of me was almost crouching down, a low stance taken for a wide sweeping motion of the 'high tech' sniper-scythe and one foot firmly placed forward defiantly. Calve-high battle boots were protecting my feet and shins, and as before a red cape was fastened around my shoulders, billowing in the imaginary wind. A long corset shirt that reached to my waist was partially obscured by both a frilly battle skirt and a bullet belt that was wrapped around my stomach. A determined yet kind expression was on my face as I stared down my adversary.

I had drawn Blake's character on the left side of the paper stood in a crouch like a coiled spring. A thin dark vest that reached to her waistline was worn over a white cotton shirt (I knew no-one else could tell, but I had in my mind that it was cotton when I drew it) that split just at her navel, revealing a strip of flesh when the vest moved. White shorts were worn with purple leggings so as to give her the maximum available maneuverability in the fictional duels that were to be enacted. The sleeves of her shirt had been rolled up to reveal well-formed biceps that were partially hidden by a black arm-warmer on the left and leather wrist-wrappings on the right. One hand tightly grasped a pure black katana and was pointed at me; the other was extended behind her for balance. She was regarding me with a slightly bored expression, the merest hint of mirth flashing in her eyes that I doubted anyone would notice.

Blake seemed to look at my work for quite a while before turning to me, "I like it but how will we put this on the final design?" She questioned, holding up both pieces of paper and alternating between looking at them and at me. I tensed my back instinctively before calmly myself and stating my reply.

"Well I can put those two characters either side of this rose in the middle." I motioned to her design as I did so, the intricate flower and petals still amazing me. Blake paused for a moment as she looked at where I was indicating before nodding with a slight smile.

"That seems good, but let's see how it looks when we actually draw it out." Blake began, focusing on the paper arrayed in front of her. I gave her a confused look at this and she smiled kindly before continuing, "We can't use the poster paper yet because we can't risk messing up. I doubt Mr. Torchwick would allow us to use a different poster paper if we screw up with this one." Blake paused for breath, still looking at the paper before her; "Ruby, we can just use smaller sheets of paper again to do this until we're ready to draw it out fully."

"Oh." I said loudly, inwardly cursing myself for almost shouting, before saying, "Um, l-let me draw my characters first then you can do the background design after?" I had intended that to be a statement but it ended up being more of an awkward question, a light hue of pink dusting my cheeks. I didn't know why merely talking about our project had this effect on me, but I couldn't dwell on it and instead focused my energy on getting on with the work. Blake nodded as she handed me the paper and sitting patiently whilst I got to work.

I always found art therapeutic; the wide, sweeping strokes of charcoal gliding over parchment, the quick scribble of a biro in the corner of an exercise book, the gentle swish of a brush on canvas. Some nights when I felt particularly lonely, I'd just grab a random Manga, flip through the pages and draw some of the scenes to calm me down and cheer me up. Somehow, when I did that I was able to forget about Weiss, forget about school, forget about the sorry excuse for a house I was living in and slowly watch it come together. I hadn't realized that I had slipped into this routine until I noticed Blake looking at me out of the corner of my eye. I propped my head up on my hands and looked at the genuine honest smile that greeted me. Not the facsimile that greeted me from other students or the sadistic grin that Weiss wore, a heartfelt smile that just told me that Blake was…happy. There wasn't more to it than that, and I'm sure she was happy often, but knowing that she was happy just looking at me made my cheeks flare up instantly and butterflies seemed to fill my stomach. I quickly averted my gaze and pushed the paper towards her, mumbling "I've done my part," despite still having a bit left to do.

Mercifully, Blake was willing to accept this little lie and began working on the background. Normally I would have watched her work, but after that little incident I merely hung my head in embarrassment and shame, waiting patiently for her to finish. When we were both done, we looked over it together and we both agreed we liked it. Hopefully Mr. Torchwick would like it too. It seemed Yang had been right all along, though we both were slightly reluctant to tell her, knowing the blonde would gloat. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was fifteen minutes before class was over and lunch began, and I looked up from our desk to see some people already handing in their finished work. Mr. Torchwick placed all the work beneath his desk to prevent the students from seeing each other's work, but this made me nervous.

Blake's voice snapped me out of my mini haze, "We're not going to get this finished today Ruby and I want to have free time for tomorrow." Blake bluntly stated, "However, I think I'm free tonight so we can work on this overnight at one of our houses." She finished.

Instantly, I felt like the floor beneath me had given way and my face noticeably dropped. I gulped rather loudly. "U-uhh, well my p-parents don't like strangers in their home w-when their gone." There was a barely perceptible hitch in my voice at the mention of my parents; despite all the time that had passed, it still hurt to talk about them. I felt slightly bad about lying to Blake, but I saw no other option. I could only hope she assumed there was something going on at home that I didn't want to talk about; in a way there was, but it was much worse than she could ever really imagine. Nervously, I shuffled my feet, feeling uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze, but fortunately she eventually nodded.

"I don't live that far from here so maybe you can come over to my place?" She questioned, her tone ever so slightly curious. I nodded this time but not without my heart skipping a few beats at the thought of being found out. With Blake living as close as she did, the danger of being seen was far greater than it otherwise would have been, and going over to her house wouldn't help in the slightest, but on the other hand I could finally see the inside of Blake's apartment. Sure, it was going to look pretty much the same as mine, but I wanted to see the little details what made it _Blake's_.

After that fortunate agreement we began packing away our supplies because the bell had already rung. The two of us headed to lunch, Blake having become my lunch 'buddy', and my mind was in turmoil. I really, _really_ wasn't looking forward to seeing Yang again, not after what happened this morning. I mean, it wasn't exactly her fault, but I was sure by now she'd heard what had happened and would at the very least want to ask me about it. I bit my lip as I entered at Blake's side and we joined the inevitable queue. Quickly scanning the queue I sighed in disappointment as I saw both Weiss and Yang in the room, the former sat on a table with some friends, the latter ditching her friends briefly to saunter over to us as we ordered or food. I sighed again, and I'm sure Blake heard it, but I didn't really care. All I could hope for was that lunch would be as quick and as painless as possible.

As Blake and I carried our trays, we were practically dragged over to where Yang had been sat to eat with her friends. Generally, they were nice but a bit quirky, especially Nora. The eclectic bunch consisted of: Jaune Arc, a short-haired blonde who was even clumsier than me; Pyrrha Nikos, an accomplished athlete with vivid red hair, held in a high ponytail and with a heart of gold; Lie Ren, a friend of Nora's who had short black hair, a pink highlight on his right side, and was the reserved member of the group to the point where those who didn't know him often accused him of not listening. Finally, Nora Valkyrie, a short orange-haired girl with a crazy personality but a kind heart. Yang had once described Nora as 'extreme', which was quite apt in my opinion. She could be overbearing at times, and wasn't the quickest to take a hint, but she was a true friend of Yang's and thus sort of my friend as well.

They were all pleasant enough, and I was somewhat thankful for their presence as I knew Yang wouldn't ask anything too personal with them listening, but at the moment I wasn't really in the mood for any of that. Sure, I laughed a couple of times at their antics, but I was far too nervous and anxious to get fully invested. I was going over to Blake's house in only a few hours and I had no idea what to expect or what to say.

* * *

The rest of classes thankfully passed without incident, and for some strange reason, I felt compelled to look back at the school as I left it, the ugly concrete block hardly the most inspiring of buildings. Blake's voice brought me to, and I trudged after her, pretending not to know where we were going. The route Blake was taking was different to the way I usually walked and I almost queried this before I remembered the situation I was in. I would normally cut through downtown Vytal, crossing under the main road and following the maze of back streets until I came out near to the apartment complex where I lived, but Blake was looping round downtown and instead heading towards lower Vytal. This area was notorious for crime, and criminal gangs lurked in the recesses. There were even rumors of the White Fang having a presence there, but I hoped they were just that; rumors. The police rarely if ever entered this part of town, saying it was too dangerous even for them.

Fortunately, she quickly left this area, despite seeming to have a worrying knowledge of all the streets, and we headed towards the suburbs. Our apartment block was situated just on the edge of the more well-to-do parts of town, and was considered an eye-sore by most. In fact, that was one of the few benefits of living there; you didn't have to see it every morning. What you did have a view of was the central streets and buildings of Vytal, the shopping hub only about ten minutes' walk from the apartment, a walk I did frequently. There were clubs, restaurants, markets and clothes stalls to name but a few of the plethora of shops that were dotted around Vytal. Further out, towards the richer part of town, fancier shops began turning up; an antique weapon shop being my favorite. When I could find the time, I'd stand at the window gazing in, pretending I was one of the characters I drew and arming myself with the weapons I could see. Such moments were rare, but for some reason they were more important than almost anything else.

With it being almost winter, the sun was setting as we reached the large complex where we both lived, and as Blake led the way up the all-too-familiar stairs, I couldn't help but feel nervous once more. "We're here Ruby..." Blake said to me, ever so slightly apprehensive. I almost reached for my door to let myself in but fortunately I was able to catch myself in time, staring stupidly at Blake. The other girl bumped into my side with her hip and I was reduced to a stuttering mess. I blinked at her a few times as my mouth tried to form the words my brain was thinking, but failed to do so. I bet I looked like a right idiot just then, but fortunately Blake didn't seem to care.

"A-ahh, i-it seems so." I finally squeaked out before following her slowly into her place. From what I could see of the living room and kitchen, it was basically like mine. Blake's flat had paintings hung on the walls or propped up against the walls, but other than that it was pretty much a slightly tidier version of my own flat. Dumping my backpack unceremoniously against her table I turned around and leaned against the arm of the sofa, waiting for her to lock the door and fully welcome me to her home. Footsteps alerted me to her presence, and she looked at me apologetically as she spoke up.

"Sorry for the mess in here." She called out, already busying herself tidying her room. To be honest, there wasn't a huge amount to be done; one of the perks of not having much stuff is it's a lot easier to keep track of it all. I realized I was staring and shook my head before pushing myself off the sofa and helping her.

"Nah, it's o-okay." I waved this away casually with my hand before continuing, "Well y-you have the p-poster paper so let's get s-started!" I flopped down gracelessly on the floor, crossing my legs in front of her coffee table and looking at her. Blake nodded slightly before sitting far more elegantly on the opposite side of the table, her back resting against the sofa as she sprawled out the poster paper in front of her. I reached for my new mechanical pencil and the two pieces of work we'd done individually, and waited patiently. I was eager to start on the final piece, but first I waited for Blake to finish the work we had started in class; whilst I was sure it would look fine, it was only polite to wait.

* * *

This time, I was able to watch her work, and her calm, gentle smile put me at ease, the occasional frown and narrowing of eyebrows as the work didn't come out exactly as she wanted. It was almost therapeutic sitting here and watching Blake turn my crappy drawings into something worthwhile. She worked in silence, only once pausing and asking me to turn on the main light to work alongside the desk light that resided upon the table.

When Blake laid her pencil down and stretched her back, a few muffled pops echoing around the room, we both took a moment to examine the finished work. Both figures looked dynamic and animated, and the far more serious style of the background added to the work in a pleasing manner, rather than detracting from it as I had feared. Though I hadn't intended it to be that way, I began to see roses in the swirls of color on both the characters, and it made me appreciate Blake's input even more. Blake quickly went to make us a drink, and after allowing ourselves five minutes to rest, we started on the final piece; the one we'd have to hand in to Mr. Torchwick. Having drawn these characters, especially the one based on me, several times by now, I quickly got down to sketching them out, humming a simple tune as I did so. By the time I'd finished my part, it was rapidly approaching 6 pm, but I assured Blake my parents would be fine if I was home late, the hitch in my voice barely audible this time.

I sat down gently on the sofa so as not to disturb Blake, and it seems I nodded off because I remember waking with a start and seeing that Blake was now almost finished outlining the background. This was the hardest step in many ways, because shading seemed to come naturally to both of us, but she was well on the way with this. In my still half asleep state, a question popped into my mind and with a horrifying realization I heard myself say it out loud. "Hmm, Blake where are your parents?"

As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake. Blake's face fell ever so slightly and her gentle hands clenched up almost imperceptibly. Immediately, I tried to apologize. "I'm so sorry for asking, you don't have to answer that!" I practically shouted, looking at her with a worried face. I was scared that I had just ruined whatever it was that me and Blake had, scared that with one little sentence, I had condemned our fledgling friendship to nothing, but her reaction completely threw me off.

"My parents are gone. I live alone." She bluntly said, her eyes resolutely glued to the paper in front of her and I opened my mouth like an idiot.

"W-what!? T-They're gone?" I cried out, partly in surprise and partly in anger, and she nodded curtly. "H-how can you be so blunt about saying that to me!" I was getting upset at her over this, and I couldn't help the frustration seep into my voice, despite it having nothing to do with me. She stopped what she was doing, put her pencil down and glared at me with annoyance in her eyes.

"I can be blunt about it because I have gotten over the fact they are gone and never coming back to me. I can be blunt about it to people because I am not self-conscious or sensitive about that subject in my life." It seemed painfully well rehearsed, and for the first time in a while, I could hear an element of hurt in Blake's voice. I looked away dejectedly.

"I'm sorry Blake..." I teared up, feeling guilty at myself. I didn't mean to annoy Blake, but due to my own stupidity that's exactly what had happened. I didn't know the circumstances surrounding Blake, I couldn't really comment on them like that.

"Stop." Was all she said, her voice sounding tired and weak. I looked at her again, puzzled. "Don't cry, I'm not mad or annoyed at you. I'm just frustrated..." she kept her eyes trained on me, "Why do you run away from people who want to help you? Why do you fear your friends? Why do think you can't trust anybody? Why do you question yourself Ruby!?" She leaned up against the table as she said this, her arms resting close to mine. Something about what she had said struck a nerve; the same one Yang had struck earlier that day.

"SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH YOU OR ANYBODY SO SHUT UP!" I screamed at her as I put my head down, tears spilling against my will. I hated feeling this weak, this helpless. Waves of pain and sadness swept over me, tears now streaming down my face and pooling on Blake's floor. I jerked my head up suddenly and yelled at Blake, yelled at her because there was no-one else to yell at. I needed her to answer back, to rid the room of the terrible, terrible silence that had befallen it. "Why aren't you saying anything?! You had so many questions before!" I slammed the table hard making my right hand numb and the supplies rattle from the movement; I looked at her through angry tears and she just stared back at me, inexpressive.

I shot to my feet, nearly knocking over the table in the process and sending my pencils flying. Blake merely looked at me with that infuriatingly passive expression she often wore and I turned away in disgust.

"Where are you going Ruby?" A soft voice called after me, and for a brief second I forgot my issue with Blake. That returned though, with a vengeance, and I noticed my hands curling and my teeth grinding.

"I'm going to the toilet," I spat, "unless it's left as well."

I knew that was uncalled for, but I was blinded by rage and fury. Blake didn't respond for a few seconds, and when she did I could barely hear her.

"It's that door just there." She whispered, barely a hint of emotion in her voice, despite the turmoil we were both going through.

"I KNOW!" I practically shouted, instantly regretting it. Wait, what had I just said?! Oh no. Oh no. There was no way she hadn't heard that, and I'd basically revealed to her the one thing I swore never to say.

"What was that?" Blake asked, louder than before and I heard her gracefully get up.

"Erm, I guessed?" I began pitifully, "It's the only room I haven't seen you go in?"

By now, my heart was pounding out a fearsome rhythm in my chest and I didn't dare look around at Blake, sure she had put two and two together. The silence seemed to drag awkwardly, as I waited for Blake to either doom me or overlook it, but after what seemed like hours, she exhaled heavily and sat back down.

"Alright, but we need to get this finished." She said, her voice dripping with displeasure. I said a silent prayer before going to the toilet then joining her at the table, not meeting her gaze once as we worked.

* * *

Blake had been working for about another hour when she set her pencil down and looked across at me, sadness in her eyes. "You know Ruby; you remind me of myself when I was younger. You want to be brave and have courage to be you, to be different, but you're far too broken by what's going on in your life that you don't know how to do that. You don't know where to start so you just keep it all bottled up inside, brewing away and slowly poisoning you. It won't ever do you any good because it will eventually eat you up and you'll be nothing but an empty bitter person."

The way Blake said this was so calm, so clear that it resonated with me in a way I had never experienced before. Instead of the strong, capable friend before me, I saw a hollow echo of myself, twisted beyond all recognition. In my current state, I simply broke down in tears again, this time out of sorrow instead of anger. I cupped my face in my hands as I began sobbing loudly and my body heaving, my shoulders shaking from the exertion and my chin quivering. I felt a strong pair of arms wrap around my right side and pull me towards someone. I feebly clung to them for dear life, as though I was in danger of slipping away, and I buried my face in the comfortable curvature of her neck on shoulders. Blake was willing to absorb all the anger, all the hate, all the sorrow that was flowing out of me then, my body weak and broken. She was willing to be the rock that I needed, and I grasped the hem of her shirt even tighter and pulled myself closer to her and let it all out.

I had no idea how long I'd been crying, but when I eventually stopped, I was reduced to a sniffling and hiccuping mess, "I'm -hic- s-s-sorry about t-that. -hic- I don't k-k-know why I got so -hic- m-mad w-with you. Yang s-said the same thing about me not trusting p-people -hic- or a-allowing them to have friendships w-with them. And I-I think that struck a n-nerve -hic- because I had a mini b-breakdown in the last bit of t-third period, that's w-why I was l-late as well." I struggled out, my words muffled as I talked into Blake's collar-bone. Squeezing my hands tighter, I maintained my grip on Blake's shirt, silently glad that she was there to support me. Even though I had stopped crying, Blake still hugged me for a few more minutes before letting go.

"Are you ok now Ruby?" She asked gently as she got up; I nodded at her meekly but I then noticed that her white collared shirt was damp from my tears, and I felt bad again but kept my emotions in check this time. "I'll be right back." She said, giving my hands a gentle squeeze as she got up and walked to the kitchen. From where I was, I could see her putting the kettle on and placing teabags in two separate mugs. As she waited for the kettle to boil, she glanced out at the balcony beyond her glass screen, her brow furrowing slightly as she realized how late it was.

"I'm back." Blake walked back into the living room carrying a mug of tea in each hand. The way she said it was slightly sad, and I could tell she was disappointed with me. And it _hurt_. It hurt that I'd had that effect on her, and I knew I deserved none of the kindness she had just shown me. She placed both mugs down and went back into the kitchen for some milk. "I don't have any sugar in at the moment, sorry if you normally take it that way." I waved away her concern, glad to have anything to drink at all. As we both sipped our tea, Blake resumed her work on the poster, shading in the petals and the oh-so delicate rose stem. By now, the work was almost done, and she handed it back to me so I could make any last minute alterations now that I'd seen the background. Humming to myself, I grabbed a couple of coloring pencils and set to work tidying up a few things. Within a few minutes, the poster was done, and we both signed our names at the bottom. Blake very carefully rolled it up to take in the next day, and we sat back to enjoy the tea, which had cooled nicely by now. The warmth flowing through my body as I took a swig almost instantly caused me to relax, a contented sigh escaping my lips and an unconscious smile upon my face.

We sat like that for a while, simply enjoying the tea and each other's company despite the awkwardness surrounding us. "Thank you." I whispered to Blake without looking at her, genuinely meaning it. The other girl had done so much for me, put up with so much today that I felt like I needed to say it, even though it had already been said. She hummed in acknowledgment before going quiet. It wasn't the awkward silence of earlier, just a content one. I felt like we could sit here for hours, but I knew I had to head home at some point. Plus, Blake was probably wanting me gone so she could get some rest; it was almost half past nine after all.

"W-well I guess we're done s-so I'll be going now..." I began to hastily pack my art supplies into my backpack, shoving them in and not taking the care I usually did, but I felt her gaze on me. Trying to ignore it, I finished my now lukewarm tea and placed the mug down on the table, still avoiding meeting her eyes. It was only when I put my backpack on and stood up ready to leave that I stopped. "I'll put this in your s-sink, uh." I saw that her cup was also empty, so I asked, "do you want me to take yours in as well?" She shook her head slowly and got up herself to take her own mug in. Before she did so, I quickly headed into the kitchen in an attempt to get there ahead of her, even though I had no idea why I was acting like this. This feeling was getting to me now and I was certainly uneasy once again. The peace of a few minutes ago had quickly turned awkward once again, and I just wanted to get out of there.

As I was at the door, Blake spoke again. "Would you like me to walk you home?" She tilted her head a little at me and I almost squeed at how cute she looked, but I managed to hold it in.

"Nah! My house isn't too far away from here so I'll be okay. Besides, I know the streets well enough to get home safely." I smiled at her with my eyes closed, praying she'd believe that.

"If you say so Ruby." She said skeptically as I cracked open one eye to squint at her, Blake's facial expression telling me she most certainly didn't believe me but was willing to let it drop. "I'll just walk you out of the apartment complex then, just to make sure you're safely out of here." I nodded slowly when she finished that, inwardly relieved she hadn't pressed further. I unlocked and opened the door for both of us to walk out, letting Blake leave first out of courtesy. Knowing I would have to head back once she had left me, I let Blake lead me just beyond the boundary of the complex before waving goodbye to her. I walked on without looking back for maybe five minutes before I deemed it safe to return, and I slunk back to my own apartment.

* * *

Wednesday rolled around, and today was the day Blake and I turned our project in. I yawned; I didn't sleep much last night because I kept replaying the conversation with Blake in my mind. I think I am being selfish to Yang and the others who actually do want to be my friends and actually want me to be who I am; maybe I can be their friends but still keep my secret to myself. All this time I've been convinced that having any friends would merely jeopardize my situation, but maybe I just have to be a better liar so when they ask whether they can come over I can just give them an excuse. It was risky, and I hadn't tried anything like it, but I was prepared to give it a shot.

The first few periods dragged on, nothing much happening, and I allowed my mind to wander. Fourth period and lunch were going to be crucial today and I tried to focus on that, but I was honestly too tired to do so. I shuffled into class, heading to where Blake was sat, the poster ready on the desk. Sitting down next to her I gave Blake a brief glance before resting my head on the desk and closing my eyes. Any sleep I might have gotten was quickly wrenched away by the infernal ringing of the bell as Mr. Torchwick entered, beginning the roll call. After confirming everyone was here, he spoke up. "So today, my little artsy students, you will have the entirety of this period to turn in your projects. This time should be used to add any final touches to your work; it should be mostly if not entirely done by now. If I don't have some work from you on my desk by the end of the period, you will get zero credits for this project, so you better have it done." He laughed in his mocking tone before stopping a few seconds later, "If you don't need this time to work on it and have it done already, please turn it in on my desk and enjoy your free time." He did a mocking bow to the class before walking off to his desk.

I giggled a little at his theatrics before resting my head on my hands and closed my eyes. I heard Blake get up to turn the poster in, and in her absence I allowed myself to yawn, tired tears forming in the corner of my eyes. "You should rest; you might feel better if you did." I heard Blake's voice say to me and I just mumbled something incoherent into my arm as a response. Wait a minute, when did she sit back down? She only just got up a few seconds ago, how was she back already? Still with my head resting on my arms and my eyes closed, I queried this.

"Blake, has anyone told you you're a ninja? It's just, you were at Mr. Torch's desk a second ago and now you're back here." I mumbled tiredly to her. Before I finally gave up the ghost and drifted off to sleep, I heard a quiet giggle and I was glad to know that I was still capable of making her laugh.

I didn't really register falling asleep, but I must have given that I was rudely shaken awake and when I awoke, I felt dry drool on my chin. Wiping it away hurriedly, I looked around and saw I was still in art. Evidently I'd been asleep for a while, because Blake's slightly concerned face suddenly loomed over me, "Ruby it's lunch time." I hummed a response and stretched, my eyes raw and red. Great, now people will think I've been crying. I could only imagine what horrible things Weiss would have to say about that. Getting up and stumbling a couple of times to the exit, Blake latched herself on me to help me balance. I thanked her quickly and tried to forget the slight blush on my cheeks.

"T-thanks" I said to her as we began walking, not particularly wanting to have this conversation but knowing it was unavoidable. "I thought a lot about what you said yesterday." I started off with nervously and she hummed in response, "And I came to the conclusion that you and Yang are right. I should be more willing to accept you guys as friends, s-so I'll try to be more open from now on. J-just keep in mind that I'll stumble and fall a couple of times because I'm not use to this, I'm not use to trusting people, but if you guys can help I'm sure it will work." I looked up at her with the most seriously determined face that I could manage, and I could tell she saw this because she smirked ever so slightly before nodding.

"You should tell Yang too, I'm sure she'd be happy to hear that." She replied kindly, reminding me that I needed to tell Yang. Gently removing myself from Blake, I managed the rest of the distance just fine, and I got to the lunch room before Blake, my eyes scanning the crowd for Yang. When I found her, I waved her over to where I was stood with Blake; underneath the same tree where I had first talked to Blake. Yang noticed this, excused herself from her friends, and made her way over to us, her trademark grin adorning her face.

"So Rubes, whatcha wanna talk about?" I steeled myself briefly before turning around with a small smile.

"Well I've been thinking about what you said yesterday morning. About how I should trust you guys, and I came to a conclusion that I want to be a real friend to you. I want you to be able to trust me." I shuffled nervously before starting up again, "Like I said to another friend of mine; I might stumble a bit in this friendship business because I'm not use to trusting people, but if you can bear with me and if I make a mistake correct me, this can work. If I ever hur- ACK!" My mini-speech was cut short by a bone-crushing bear hug, and I genuinely struggled to breathe. I was pretty sure I just heard my back pop, causing me to squeal in pain. I barely spoke out the words 'please let go', but miraculously she heard me and let go, leaving me to rub my now-damaged spine.

"Ruby, you have no idea how happy I feel right now! I didn't actually think you'd be willing to try and be a good friend to anyone, and the fact that you chose me makes me _so _happy!" She exclaimed to me, "And we'll take things slow to start with, because I know this is a big thing for you, but once I'm through with you, you'll be making friends left, right and center!" She stretched her arm to the sky with her hand clenched into a fist. I giggled at her display, secretly wondering what I'd just gotten myself into.

All this time, Blake had been watching from the side-lines, a mildly amused look on her face at Yang's reaction. Yang noticed her and began rattling on about how she was going to 'make me into a social little butterfly' or something, and I just sorta ignored that. When we sat down beneath the tree, Blake passing me my food and Yang finishing hers, I heard a shy 'excuse me'. Turning around, I saw the timid form of the rabbit faunus that helped me the previous day. Velvet was looking at the ground, a deep blush coloring her cheeks, and the one hand that wasn't holding her food was playing with the hem of her dress nervously. It was a distinctly adorable sight, and I was about to introduce her to my companions when I noticed Yang and Blake looked at her bunny ears with interest. A horrible feeling rose in the pit of my stomach as I contemplated them being haters.

"H-hey Velvet!" I waved at her a little and after some hesitation she waved back.

"Hi Ruby." She twirled her fingers in front of her nervously, trying to avoid eye contact, "Urm, Ruby? Do you wanna hang out on Friday at the mall after school? I did 'promise' you I would but I couldn't find you yesterday..." Only the two of us fully understood the undertone of the word 'promise'. She looked at me first then away to Blake, then to Yang and then back to me, awaiting my answer.

"Sure Velvet, I would love to hang out with you on Friday." I smiled at her and she returned it, relieved. I felt Yang nudge me with her elbow before she whispered to me.

"Score one for you making a new friend right now!" She grinned while I rolled my eyes. Velvet was standing awkwardly now, unsure of where to go.

"Oh, V-Velvet you can sit next to Yan-. I mean you can sit next to B-Blake." I heard Yang yell at me halfheartedly as to why Velvet was sitting next to Blake and not her, and I answered curtly. "Because you'll try to touch her ears or something and I know Blake won't." I simply said and she just grunted at me and got back to finish her lunch, grumbling as she did so. Velvet for her part headed over to where Blake was sat and gently lowered herself down, a contented smile adorning her face. Seeing Velvet like that smile reminded me of something, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. We sat there, the four of us, eating in silence until Blake spoke up.

"Ruby, what are your thoughts on faunus's?" Her voice indicated she was genuinely curious, and I lowered my peanut butter and jelly 'sandwich' before replying.

"O-oh well I have nothing against the faunus as a whole, and I certainly don't agree with those humans who victimize them just because they are different, but on the other hand, groups like the White Fang are just making things worse by responding with violence." I paused for breath, and noticed Blake and Velvet smiling at me, and a curious smile that danced around Yang's eyes. "Ultimately, it's just a vicious circle, and until something changes things are just going to get worse. Perhaps if the really rich, like the Schnee's, helped out even a little, there wouldn't be such an issue."

I felt slightly proud as I finished that, feeling good for sticking up for the underdog. I should know; I was one. The mention of the name 'Schnee' sent slight shivers down my spine, and I was thankful that I hadn't seen her all day. The silence that followed my little speech was a comfortable one, as we all just sat and ate, but I knew that I should focus on Friday. Weiss would probably try and corner me again by then, and I really didn't want to be bruised when I went to meet Velvet. She deserved better than that. All I could hope was that the next few days would pass without incident…

* * *

**I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE RWBY CHARACTERS SO DON'T SUE ME YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING...**

**Leave a review please!**


	5. Author Note

**Hello dear readers, I know I haven't Been updating this story in a long while but that doesn't mean I've abandoned it. It just means life has gotten in the way. My beta-reader is also having a rough time right now so they won't help me for a little while, which I don't mind. **

**As for this story, I just want to Thank you for being so patient with the updates and I know this isn't what you excepted as an update, but hopefully you will understand. If you can wait a little longer for this update please do. **

**-Animewarrior12 **


	6. The Real Chapter 5: Damn You Life!

** Okay I've decided and my Beta has also agreed with me that I should post what I have done with this story. So after like half way (maybe) through the chapter you will see my work, you'll know the difference. **

**Anyways after this you will see most of an un-beta'd story, until my beta-reader gets enough time to do this. **

**So have fun reading and hopefully reviewing! **

* * *

Thursday was, thankfully, a relatively easy day for me, and I was somewhat thankful that for a return of the monotony of school life; the dreary, overcast sky reflecting the mood of most students. My classes, whilst mind-numbingly dull, were all easy enough for me, and I only shared a few of them with either Blake or Yang, so I didn't have those added distractions. I drifted through the day almost in a daze; the trudging of unwilling students, the slow crawl of the lunch queue, the depressingly grey concrete slab that passed for the school, all of it seeming to drift past without affecting me. I felt like that Thursday was just a thing that happened, and as I arrived home that afternoon, I honestly struggled to remember anything of the previous 8 hours. It just felt so irrelevant and unnecessary.

Shrugging, I sat down to a bland meal of leftovers, though given how little I usually had to eat, the meal was somewhat lacking. Nevertheless I ate the strange concoction of rice, a few re-boiled veg and half a burrito, taking my time about it. I tried to convince myself that I was just tired, and that might have been partially it, but I knew that in reality I was really nervous about tomorrow. I hadn't been out to meet a friend like this for far longer than I cared to imagine, and I was dreading most of it already. Only the thought of how supportive Velvet had been when I had that mini-breakdown kept me from going overboard with anxiety, the young girl's infectious laughter like music to my ears. Even just thinking about it set me at ease, a comforting warmth filling my body and causing a smile to crack on my face as I lay down on my couch and waited for sleep to claim me.

Friday started out somewhat differently. With me skipping a shower the previous night, I made sure to clean myself properly that morning, taking extra care selecting clothing that seemed right for the occasion. Laying the pieces out on my bed, I stared at them hesitantly for a moment before realizing that I needed to be out of the apartment five minutes ago, not being afforded the luxury of trying on some of the other outfits I had waiting in my meagre collection. That being said, I did stop momentarily in front of a grimy, scuffed mirror that lay propped up against the wall; the original frame having given up the ghost a long time ago. Satisfied that I looked at least presentable, I grabbed my backpack from its resting place by the coffee table and hurried out of the door, only afterwards realising that I could have bumped into Blake in my haste.

That day at school was certainly unsettling to say the least, if not downright disconcerting. Weiss was actively being nice to me, in a deliberately over-the-top way that made it obvious she was trying to freak me out. She'd hold open doors for me, let me in front of her in queues and even said hello a couple of times, all the while a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on her face, the overall effect almost scary. No-one did a 180 in attitude like that, especially not the resident Ice Princess; she was the most stubborn person I knew! I know I'm paranoid, but I have good reason to be, and somehow this was worse than anything she'd ever done before; the bullying I could usually handle, but a pleasant Weiss? I wasn't sure the world was ready for that.

Beyond this, the time I got to spend with Yang, Blake, and Velvet was going amazingly well. We'd talked a good deal yesterday lunch and we continued today, discussing hobbies, school life and a great deal of other meaningless things. It wasn't about that though; it was about opening up to each other, showing them that I was willing to take up their offer of friendship; every smile that tugged at my lips, every curious gaze that flittered around, every contended half-sigh as we sat in the shade of the mighty tree. All of this was my way of conveying my appreciation for them.

And it was working, each of them instantly snapping to attention whenever I opened my mouth or glanced at them. They wanted this to work just as much as I did, and the knowledge of that made me almost giddy with excitement. Velvet in particular seemed willing to listen to what I had to say, her ears noticeably perking up at the sound of my voice, and she was quick to answer my many questions.

It turned out she was a sophomore here and that's why I never really saw her around; her schedule was significantly different to mine. She also happened to be a straight B+ student and was on course for great things, or so her teachers kept telling her. We chatted about more personal stuff after a while and I found she was sixteen, almost the same age as me, but her birthday was in July while mine languished in November. In fact, if I recall correctly, my birthday was this coming Saturday. I can't really remember though; nobody else knows about it and it usually just ends up being yet another holiday where I cry myself to sleep, memories of birthdays past that I shared with my parents overwhelming me.

For what little it was worth, though, I pretended that going into town with Velvet tonight would be a present from myself to me. I guess I'd just not wanted to think about it that much. Realising I'd zoned out, I quickly focused on what Velvet was saying, the young faunus chatting away slowly. Without really thinking about it, I found myself getting lost in her words, my eyes glancing at hers and noting how they shone with joy like brilliant, brilliant stars. Each story, each tale she told brought more and more peace to my somewhat tormented mind, and I was truly grateful for moments like these making sure to savour each and every one, because I didn't know how many more I would have.

Casting my gaze to the side, I found myself staring at Yang. Yang, the girl who had encouraged me to get into this whole 'friends' business. Yang, the girl I just couldn't quite figure out. She claimed to want to be my friend, but she'd had many opportunities before that she never took, so why had she decided one day to ask me? A small, bitter part of me tried to claim that Yang was merely using me the way Weiss would if it were her befriending me, but I quickly squashed the notion. I couldn't let thoughts like that cloud my mind. I had to believe that Yang and Velvet and Blake were doing this with my best interests at heart or I'd have no-one else to trust. Besides, as I looked at Yang and the way she laughed easily at the smallest things, I couldn't imagine her doing this out of spite; it wasn't in her nature. Still, I kept feeling that there was something she knew but wasn't telling me, but I had no evidence besides an uncomfortable feeling and I didn't want to accuse her based on that.

Lastly there was Blake, the mysterious transfer student who seemed to reduce me to s stuttering wreck every conversation, but now things felt different. It was almost as though her magnificent amber orbs were tracking me everywhere I went, and more than once I'd caught her staring, only for her to intensify her gaze and force me to back down. I didn't like it, and I was unable to shake the feeling that she was doing more than staring. Over the past couple of days, it was almost as though someone was following me, shadowing my every move, and I couldn't help think that Blake fit this behaviour better than most…

Shaking my head vigorously to clear my mind, I tried not to dwell on those thoughts, choosing instead some of the more immediate concerns. Like whether what I'm wearing is actually nice enough and appropriate for later today. I wasn't entirely comfortable dressed like this; my usual tomboy 'style' gone in favour of something a bit more 'girly'. Around my neck I was wearing a pale red scarf that had a stylised symbol of a black rose on the left side, while a long, light-grey cotton shirt was underneath a black and red loose dress that ended mid-thigh. Where I usually wore thick army-style combat boots I had instead gone with black leggings and shiny black mid-calve boots. Wearing these clothes felt weird but not necessarily in a bad way, and I enjoyed the modicum of extra freedom I had.

A long time ago I made a self-imposed rule of never wearing dresses or skirts in public, and I didn't like breaking that rule, but in all fairness I was breaking most of my rules anyway and had been all week, so it was almost...exhilarating to be able to do so. Still, I wasn't a big fan of the way Yang repeatedly commented on this or the stares I got from a lot of the boys. Some of them seemed fixated, and feeling their gazes on me was uncomfortable.

The rest of school was predictably dull and pointless, and all I could think of was seeing Velvet afterwards. PE wasn't my favourite subject at the best of times, and right now all I wanted to do was hurry up and finish the school day and get going on what Yang insisted on calling our date. Fortunately, today was cross-country. Most students loathed it and a chorus of groans met the announcement, but I was pretty good at running and the few laps of the nearby fields and woodlands would give me a lot of time to think about things.

I pulled my boots on as I exited the changing rooms, anxiously awaiting Velvet. Due to how the school ran things, PE finished about ten minutes before the school day ended, and I had rushed to get changed early to be ready for when Velvet arrived. Hobbling around slightly as I struggled with the unfamiliar shoes, I righted myself only to find amused amber eyes looking down at me.

"H-hi Blake!" I began meekly, suddenly unsure what to say. "Do you... I mean does my... does my dress look nice?"

Blake seemed almost baffled at this, though whether it was the question or the way I stammered I wasn't sure. "Ruby you look fine. Don't be so nervous."

"I c-can't help it! This is t-the first time in years that I'm actually doing something like t-this." My voiced raised an octave as I gesticulated wildly with my arms, and Blake's gentle chuckle in response didn't exactly help my frayed nerves.

"Ruby, just take a deep breathe in." She ordered in a way that was kind yet left no room for negotiation. Despite being somewhat irritated that she wasn't taking this as seriously as I would have hoped, I obliged. "Now let it go slowly."

Screwing my eyes shut on instinct, I did has I was told. Rushing it slightly I exhaled heavily, my mouth forming an 'O' shape as I did so. I could hear Blake joining in, and it gave me a somewhat renewed sense of determination, inhaling again a second or so later. Remarkably, after repeating this a couple of times I felt miles better. How did Blake know these things?

"Do you feel a little better?" she asked in that soft concerned voice of hers, making me blush. I forced myself to nod to her, if only to distract me from how much of an affect Blake had on me. It made me more than a little uncomfortable knowing I was practically putty in her hands. Feeling more comfortable I dared to open my eyes, only to be greeted by Blake's unwavering amber orbs. Gulping slightly, I tried to wrench my gaze away, only to find it nearly impossible. Her own stare was so mysterious, so enchanting that I was struggling not to get lost in the depths of those eyes. What seemed like minutes passed, and when she didn't relent I noticed something shift in her gaze, a different look of hers that made me gulp in anticipation. This sudden change caused me to glance away.

I heard a disappointed sigh and I felt a bit guilty but I knew I had to do it. There was something about the way she she looked at me that sent shivers racing through my body, and I felt almost powerless beneath her gaze. An awkward silence descended on us where neither seemed able to speak, but Velvet's arrival round the corner thankfully broke it.

"Hello Ruby!" She said excitedly, a warming smile evident on her face.

"O-oh, hey Velvet." I replied, my nerves from earlier returning with a vengeance.

"I'm just getting a lift home to pick up a few things, I'll meet you at the mall at half three?"

Half three? That would give me half an hour to get there; Velvet must have assumed I didn't need to go home. I could make it in plenty of time if I set off now, but I wanted to talk to Blake first. There were a few things I wanted to ask and needed answers for, so I quickly nodded to Velvet and turned to Blake.

"Sure, that sounds fine. Blake, do you mind if I walk with you for a bit?"

This seemed to throw her slightly, as she knew that her apartment was further away from the school than the mall, but thankfully she didn't question it.

The two of us watched Velvet walk away and towards where the cars were parked, waiting until she walked around the corner before heading off towards Blake's apartment. On the way, we discussed a great deal of things, most of them minor, and we generally enjoyed each other's company.

"Ruby, I have to ask you this; are you sure you're ok meeting Velvet today? You seemed pretty nervous earlier."

I sighed, running my hands through my thick black tresses, "Well I guess, but it's exciting to be able to open up to you guys, to be able to go out when I want with who I want. It's a freedom I haven't been able to experience a long time." Without realising it I had gotten somewhat melancholy, and the silence that settled over the two of us was less than pleasant.

Blake simply smiled one of those endearing smiles she had and instantly I felt almost completely at ease. The effect that she had on me was remarkable, although I did find it somewhat unnerving. Not wanting to discuss it further, I focussed instead on the surrounding streets, recognising some of the less pleasant areas of down-town Vale. It was a sad fact but a true one that lots of the people living around here weren't exactly living in luxury (I could testify to that) and as a result a lot of resentment had been built up between neighbours, friends, families. Certainly the actions of the White Fang did little to help the plight of many living here.

"So Ruby, what do you plan to do with Velvet today?"

In response to Blake's question I merely shrugged; in all honestly I hadn't thought about it. I mean sure, we were definitely going to get a bite to eat, maybe see a film, but beyond that I was just happy to let the day unfold as it would. Hopefully we'd be able to genuinely enjoy ourselves and lose ourselves in childish pursuits, something I've not been able to do for far too long. It would feel great to be able to forget about some of the issues hanging over my head.

"I guess we'll see," I replied casually, "but either way it should be fun. Thanks for looking out for me, I'm glad to have a friend who is willing to do that."

Blake flared up as a crimson blush made its way to her cheeks, and while she tried to play it off I took the opportunity to open my backpack, which served as a purse, and see if I had enough money for the afternoon. After fishing around for a while I counted just about $30, which should be adequate. Some of that had to go on rent but I felt confident spending a bit of it on a treat out like this.

Before a huge amount longer, I said my goodbyes to Blake and headed into town. Due to the extra distance walked with Blake, I was now on time for our meet, and sure enough I saw a dark blue 09 Chevy Corolla pull up alongside me, barely two streets away from the mall. I stopped abruptly and all the colour drained from my face, a cold sweat forming on the back of my neck. It was an 09 Chevy Corolla that had hit my parents that terrible, terrible night, and seeing another one brought back horrifying memories, memories I wished never to relive again.

I was barely able to put on a poor facade of smile when an excitable rabbit faunus stepped out from the back seat waving wildly. "Hello Ruby!" She exclaimed, jovially approaching me and pulling me into a tight hug.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" Velvet asked, noticing my pale complexion and the look of sheer terror on my face.

"I-it's nothing." I stammered, still unable to tear my eyes away from the car in front of me. I tried to look elsewhere, tried to wrench my gaze away from the car I recognised so well, but it was impossible. Not for the first time in recent weeks I cursed my vivid imagination, the fantastic terrors it was showing me shockingly to the core and sending juddering shivers up and down my rigid body. Evidently, Velvet didn't believe my lie and she looked disapprovingly at me.

Fortunately, any embarrassing questions were halted by the arrival of her parents, both mercifully standing away from the car and thus forcing my eyes away from it.

Before me stood two well-dressed adults, though neither of them were particularly tall, and they both regarded me with kind smiles. The man I assumed to be Velvet's father extended a manicured hand from beneath a simple but smart suit and approached slowly.

"Hello there young one, I believe your name is Ruby, correct?" I nodded meekly, still very shaken from seeing someone I knew get out of that type of car. "Wonderful, it's great to finally meet you in person. Velvet has told us a great deal about you and may I be the first to thank you for helping her the other day. Words genuinely cannot express just how much it means to know that someone cares."

While he was talking I got a good look at him, and it was immediately obvious that he was where Velvet got most of her faunus genes from, two large brown rabbit ears hanging down from between thick messy hair passed his shoulders. Gentle auburn eyes gazed sympathetically at me, and he spoke up again.

"Do you two have any idea when you'll be done with your shopping?"

"Let them figure it out for themselves, dear." A soothing voice from nearby cut in, and I saw Velvet's mother regard me with a smile. She looked human, though she could well have some faunus heritage, and her brown hair was cut relatively short and only fell to her shoulder-blades. Despite the weather and time of year, she was wearing a patterned summer dress, and even though she was the mother of a classmate, I could definitely see why some would call her attractive. Her thin frame and long legs suited her dress perfectly, and her face looked young, placing her in her early thirties at a guess, and thus about ten years younger than her husband.

Velvet's parents had obviously noticed my state at this point, and they both cast worried glances to their daughter who merely shrugged.

"Ruby darling, are you ok?" Her mother asked, and it was all I could do to nod in response.

"I'm fine. Just...cold." I mumbled, sure they didn't believe me. Fortunately enough, they elected not to question me further and instead walked the two of us to the mall, despite it being unnecessary. As we walked, Velvet arranged a time for them to pick her up at six thirty, potentially going as late as seven depending on what we got up to. Saying our goodbyes, we left them waving at us and headed into the mall.

I remembered when the mall had been built. A plot of land had come up for auction and several companies had entered a fierce bidding war over the rights to build there, the eventual winner immediately drawing up plans for the mall. As was the way with these things, delays quickly began and more than a few groups held protests, most notably a faunus rights movement with White Fang backing. The mere thought of them caused me to shudder, and once again a cold sweat formed on my skin. When the mall had finally been finished, it had been about six months late and a few million over budget, and the company that owned it quickly went down, selling the mall off cheap to pay their rising bills. Now council owned, it ran at a reasonable level of efficiency.

Realising I hadn't said anything since we entered, I spoke up hesitantly. "Your parents are nice." Hearing myself say something like that hurt a lot, but the pain was slowly numbing over time, and it barely showed in my tone of voice.

"Huh? Oh, yeah they're really great. You're just lucky my dad didn't try any of his jokes though. They're the worst!"

I laughed along with Velvet at this, though my laugh was hollow and empty. I needed to keep up appearances, needed to keep Velvet as a friend, but in all honesty I'd give anything to hear my dad tell another joke. I'd give anything just to be able to speak to them one more time.

"Ruby, what's wrong?"

Startled I turned to see Velvet who was regarding me with a concerned look on her face, and as I felt a familiar wetness on my cheeks I realised I was crying once again. Cursing myself for my weakness I quickly rubbed the tears away and turned my head so she couldn't see the blush that had formed.

"I-it's just I'm glad to have you a-as a friend." I struggled out weakly, and if I was honest it was partially true, but I couldn't afford to let Velvet know the real reason behind my crying. She seemed to buy it though, and pulled me into a reassuring hug, softly rubbing her thumb across my spine.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm glad to have you as a friend too. Now come on; I'll get you something to eat."

As she led me across the tiled floor of the mall and into one of the food courts, I couldn't help but notice that Velvet seemed at her most confident when supporting others, and I briefly pondered if it was anything to do with her past. As a faunus, comforting others would have been an unfortunate but necessary part of life from an early age, and I wondered bitterly whether Velvet was just so used to it she didn't even notice.

We sat down at a table and I slung my backpack off and onto the floor, unzipping and reaching into it to grab the money I'd need, but Velvet refused to accept any and said the meal was her treat. I'd only ever been into the mall a couple of times before, but if memory served me right then this place changed from when I was last here. Now it looked almost welcoming, a large sign hung above the entrance reading "The Great Steak", and instead of the mouldy old seats I vaguely recalled from before were clean booths with plastic chairs. I contemplated ordering something a bit obscure or outlandish because of the occasion, but instead decided to settle on two combo meals of the 'Great Steak Cheese steak' and a large fries. Whilst I would normally have asked them to hold back on the onions and tomato for mine I didn't this time, instead intending to give mine to Velvet as a treat.

After placing the order and paying, Velvet insisting to see the receipt in order to refund me, we sat down and waited for the food to arrive. Initially we made idle chatter, but I quickly allowed my eyes to wander the courtyard. Pretty much everywhere I looked there were young couples sharing meals or teenagers out shopping, and I felt a pang of regret at missing out on some of this. They just looked so happy, so content to simply be out with each other and in each other's company that it seemed that separating them would be cruel. Subconsciously sighing I turned back to Velvet just in time for our food to arrive.

As we ate in a comfortable silence I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, and my eyes quickly scoured the mall for any sign of someone following me but I couldn't identify anyone. Still, it made me more than a little uneasy.

"Ruby? Ruby are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry I was just thinking about things."

Velvet smiled kindly and offered me a bite of her steak which I gladly accepted. With this act it was like a spell was broken and we both focused on each other instead of our slowly cooling steaks. We talked more about ourselves and I regrettably told her how I'd acted around Yang the other day. In return, Velvet told me a lot about herself, almost like she wanted me to do the same. But I couldn't. There was no way I could do that.

After finishing our food we headed out of "The Great Steak" and towards a corner that I'd been secretly hoping we'd visit at some point. Flashing lights signified an arcade and a comic-book store, though I was most looking forward to picking up some manga. Despite having little money most of the time, I'd always try and save up enough to be able to afford the occasional manga.

It seemed that Velvet was also into the likes of manga, and together we set off in a fast walk towards the dingy little shop that sold a variety of comics and other memorabilia. At this point, I was truly able to appreciate just how futuristic the mall looked; the holographic advertisements were illuminated by vivid blue lighting and the metallic-effect flooring seemed space age to me. All this style and extravagance made the comic book store seem even more dilapidated than it really was, but really that didn't matter.

The shop itself reminded me of one of the many second-hand bookstores I'd been in; a small space filled with shelves tightly packed with ancient tomes, a musty and dry smell filling the air. Of course, in this instance the shelves were full of graphic novels, comics and mangas. With our very limited budget, we decided not to spend too much, but we still walked out with a few items each, discussing our purchases with each other in great length. Velvet had stopped near the railing of the second floor looking down. I went next to her grinning before looking down at to what she was looking at.

I spotted those same two people in dark baggy hoodies that were at the food court being walked out of the mall, it seems they were also being scolded by the security guard of something. Now Looking at Velvet curiously about how she could notice that situation down there, she seemed to have blush at me. " Oh you're probably wondering how I could've heard that commotion, huh?" I nodded at her and she gave me a cheeky smile.

"Well as Faunas we have more heightened senses then what you have. Haha" she ended with a nervous giggle. Oh my God that was so cool that they could do those things, it made me mad thinking that people could hate Faunas like they do!

"That's so cool Velvet, It makes me a bit upset that Faunas's get treated like they do!" Not caring that passerby's were glaring at me, I flashed her a big smile. She hugged me quickly while saying thank you to me, I shook my head.

"You don't have to thank me." She nodded at me but I grabbed her hand grinning at her, "Come on! We still have so many things to do, like that arcade or that store with anime stuff!" I voiced rather loudly before dragging her off.

Still holding my plastic bag, I turned to Velvet with a smile and nodded towards the arcade that had been built just a few shops along. The flashing lights and the darkened room were in complete contrast to the almost archaic shop we'd just been in, but I knew we'd both enjoy it just as much.

The arcade games were consisted of various fighting games, DRR games, and other cool games I never had the luxury of trying before. Looking at each other we smiled before running to the money machine to exchange dollars for tokens we agreed to play game that tested our strength. It was a machine that had a punching bag and it estimated our strength in one hit; it took four tokens but we had plenty from spending five bucks. Velvet went first punching the bag ungracefully but as hard as she could, she scored a 420, hehehe, 'ouf!' she nudged me in the ribs for that. Rubbing the pain off I now went up to punch it, so balling my fist I brought my arm back and hit the punching bag with all my might, I clumsily positioned myself back to a normal stance and waited for the outcome; I scored 835, woah. I was surprised, I wasn't excepting that one; giving a smug look at Velvet when I heard her Tsk at me I let her drag me off to another arcade game. It was a DDR game.

"Woah there Velvet, I-I don't do d-dancing, especially in p-public!" She gave me puppy-dog look after I said that and that was the face of no mercy, I think I died from the cuteness overload. After failing horribly at that and actually drawing a crowd to see how horrible I was at this game I felt I didn't want to play anything anymore and I think Velvet felt that mood shift because she started to apologize to me for putting me through that but I know that game made her happy by the way she was smiling as she was 'dancing' to the game, so it was slightly worth it.

Forcing myself to play a few more games to assure her that I wasn't upset with her, we then went to a store down stairs called Hot Topic. It was crowded and left little room for people to get through the store but we managed, by the time we were done I spent most of my money in there. Boy that store actually got money from me, amazing and what I got were two shirts that had my favorite animes on them, and a pair of red gloves that had black roses on them, it reminded me of Blake's and I's project together which still wasn't spoken of by Mr. Torchwick. Velvet didn't get anything except for one pink bunny sticker for her binder.

Looking at one of the many projectors in the mall, it read four-thirty, so we kept walking until we were at another entrance to the mall. This one had a fountain in front of it so we sat over there. "Soo, what are we going to do now?" I questioned her, I mean What could we do for the next two hours, I highly doubt we could talk for that long to pass the time.

I saw her speak to me, "Well, I still have enough money to buy something and there's a movie theater up in the distance.." she motioned her eyes in front of her, I followed them to what see said, a movie theater.

"Oh no! I don't even have enough money to pay for my own!" I spurred out as I leaned towards her, she just waved me off. "Ruby don't worry about it, if I'm offering to take you there then I will take you there." That response made me shut up about it.

"W-well what our we going to watch t-then?" I crossed my arms at her, she rolled her eyes at me smiling.

"Well I looked on one of my apps on my phone and if we walk now we'll make it to the showing of 'Annabelle'." My face slightly paled while She gave a toothy grin, I think Velvet's the type to open up when she knows you better because I wouldn't have expected that just now if I didn't know her. Horror wasn't my favorite but I could deal with it so nodding I got up before putting my bag inside my backpack. "W-well let's go?" She clasped her hands together before getting up with a prep and then pulling me forward..

After The movie, all I had to say for it was, it was it was decent, it was more stress causing then scary. As Velvet and I were now Walking back to the mall, the time was most likely six thirty pm because Velvet was already calling her parents to tell them we would be running a bit late.

"Oh Okay, I love you too, cya soon." She ended her call, now looking at me. "My parents are running a bit late as well but are you sure you don't want a ride home?" She was concerned and it made me feel bad but I swallowed my guilt. "I'm Sure, my house isn't too far away! And my parents should be back by now." I faked my smile and she made a little frown.

"I-if you say so, my mom and dad won't be too happy about you walking alone and without a phone…" Note to self, should buy a cheap phone because I think that's a bit suspicious if a girl my age doesn't have one. My thoughts were abruptly ended by someone brushing pass my shoulder rather roughly when going by. "H-hey!" I shouted at the culprit.

I regretted it the instant I saw the fiery red hair and black horns on the person's head, the buff size of the guy and his murderous vibe. I could hear my heart beat in my ears while seeing Velvet sense my distress. I knew that the menacing Male Faunas recognized me from the apartment and that scared me.

"You!" He was coming at me and my eyes widened in fear as he came closer me. I took a step back while he put one step forward and actually growled. I stopped backing away, "How much did you hear that night, little girl." He shoved me with his rough hand and I fell on my butt. Looking up at him, he was wearing all his clothing in mostly black; black shoes, jeans, a black open jacket revealing a dark Gray shirt.

Looking at his hate filled eyes that were on me, I gulped. I looked around to see if anybody would help but no one did Because no one was out here. It was only a petrified Velvet behind him, me that was in a more worse position to be in, and this really intimidating guy that already wanted me dead. My breath was caught in my throat when he spoke up again.

"Answer me no-" I saw that a leg hit him right in his crotch, he instantly fell to the ground holding on to his crotch in pain. Velvet then grabbed me and pulled me up to run inside the mall that was a few yards away from us, breathing harshly I saw her fearful look as we ran. When we both got inside the mall we were a panting mess, a few people looked at us weird for it.

"Do y-you know him?" I asked her putting my hand on her shoulder and she flinched while her fearful eyes looked at me. "Ruby, I do but I don't know him." I tilted my in confusion and she pulled me closer to her face before whispering in my ear, "About a Year ago me and my family lived in the lower district apartments. And one day two White Fang members came to everyone's door either to beat up the few humans that unfortunately lived there or forcefully recruit unsuspecting Faunas's for their gang." She took a shaky breathe in. "When they knocked on my door I saw him and a girl with black hair they were both wearing masks but I know that distinct red spiky hair and that gruesome smell of human blood anywhere. To the least my father was badly beaten when he refused to join." She was shaking now and I hugged her the moment I noticed this.

We stayed like that until we saw a car pull up at the entrance, When we separated out of the hug to go out we were a bit weary if he was still there. We both knew that we had made a horrible enemy today and I was scared for both our lives Now, but I had a feeling he wouldn't blame Velvet. She was Faunas while I wasn't, he'd probably make an excuse like I manipulated her or something just to hate me even more...

When we went outside we both looked at the direction we left him in and he was, thankfully gone like he was never even there. We side-glanced at each other wearily. "How was your day girls?" Velvet's mothers voice startled us but I recovered first. "The day was good Mrs. Scarlatina! We went to almost every shop and went to see a movie isn't that right Velvet!" I smiled cheeringly while nudging Velvet and her mother laughed, believing my half lie. Velvet nodded stiffly at her mother before hugging me again and saying her goodbyes until Monday.

"Eh? Your friend doesn't want to taken home by us still?" It was her father now, this time in the front passenger seat. She looked at me like she wanted me too, for my own safety but I knew I was stubborn and I so I denied them. "No thanks, my house isn't that far so I'll be good!" I looked at her parents in the eye.

They sighed. "Are you sure? Will your parents be home?" That was her mother and I nodded at her confirming her question. They uneasily agreed to me as they began to slowly drove away, I saw Velvet wave goodbye from the back seat of the car and I waved back. When they were out of sight I looked up to the sky, it was still blue but I could see a bit of Orange and yellow creeping in so I began walking my way home.

Coming to a crosswalk I thought about today, and all in all this whole day was fun and I was happy for once besides the part at the end. Though With that new information about the aggressive red head from Velvet I was beginning to realize something about Blake and why that guy was there at the apartment, Blake just had to be that oth-Ah! I flinched when someone began poking me rather obnoxiously in the back, destroying my train of thought.

"Oh I finally found you, you dolt. I was just about to give up " I froze and felt everything go silent, that sickeningly sweet voice I knew all too well.

Looking at her I saw Weiss staring down with her trade mark smirk at me. Oh no, this day was suppose to end in a happy note not a miserable one! Looking around it seemed no one was here walking by so it was just me and her with a few passing cars, "W-Weiss how did you know I was here!?" I asked hearing my voice crack, she laughed menacingly.

"Well it seems that I can't really get to you at school because of those New friends of yours. So I spied on you guys and stumbled across you talking about going to the mall today with that disgusting Faunas." She finished off but what she said about Velvet made me narrow my eyes at her. "Oh my you're getting angry about what I said about that Faunas, haha, how funny!" She laughed in my face and I gritted my teeth before she roughly poked me in the middle of my chest.

"Well look here dolt! You may think you have friends but once they realize that you are nothing but trash they WILL leave you!" I frown but she kept going. "That crush you also have on Blake will make her leave you once she has had enough of your ogling stares, Yang will realize that your no fun anymore and leave you for her better exciting friends." I tightened my fists, closing my eyes. "And the Faunas Especially that Faunas will inevitably betray you and be with those Damn White Fangs members! Your parents must be ashamed." I finally snapped at her and roughly grabbed her white collared shirt, I brought her close to my face.

"Don't you fucking say that ever again to me Weiss! I don't care about you making fun of me at school or beating me up, but don't you EVER say anything about MY friends or MY PARENT'S! Because unlike you who doesn't have any fucking friends because your a damn bitch to everyone!" I finished Yelling in her face as I let go of her shirt but not without pushing her away rather harshly.

I turned and started stomping away from her angrily, not caring if the crosswalk was safe to go. After a few moment I heard Weiss yelling at me, I didn't care right now but it got to the point where I couldn't stand it anymore. When I was on the other side of the sidewalk, I shouted at her. "SHUT UP! GOD DO YOU EVER HEAR YOURSELF YOU PRETENTIOUS ASS! WHATEVER I DID TO MAKE YOU HATE ME SO MUCH, I'M SORRY, OKAY! JUST GET OVER YOURSELF CAUSE I'M SO DONE WITH YOU" Panting at the end I saw that Weiss's face was red with anger while my anger was now washed out because I had said what I wanted to say for such long time to her.

She began blindly Walking down the crosswalk like I did but she wasn't lucky like I was. Looking at the signal lights in the streets it was green and a car was coming towards Weiss too fast to stop in time for her, my stomach dropped when I saw this. "Weiss Get out of the streets now!" I shouted again making my throat hurt, but she wasn't listening anymore and the car was crossing in on her. Closing my eyes, I ran at her knowing I couldn't save both of us and so time stopped for me, all I could hear is the screeching of tires and Weiss gasping as She realized what was happening and what I was doing.

I shoved her away from the incoming car and closed my eyes before extreme pain was felt everywhere on my body before darkness...

(Weiss POV)

When Watching Ruby shove me away from that car, time seemed to slow down and when I saw her eyes closed and I was mortified. Why did she do this? I thought as I saw her fly across the street landing with a thud, lifelessly in the middle of the street.

Why did she save me? when I was being such a bitch to her? The car stopped and the driver was scared that he might have killed a girl just now.

I deserved to be limp and lifeless on the street not her. I felt tears form and I rushed to Ruby's side, screaming for her to wake up while I heard the drive call 911.

Oh God did I just kill her, please don't die, this wasn't suppose to happen! I heard the ambulance's and police sirens faintly in the distance but I still kept my eyes solely on Ruby, hoping against hope that she would wake up.

Why did I only picked on her? I forgotten the reasons but it was probably a stupid reason though. I saw the paramedics pick up Ruby off the ground onto the carrier, and then into the ambulance. My face etched in tears and worry.

This plan was to make her self-esteem go down, but now it was playing with her life and I didn't even know this was going to happen. One of the paramedics looked at me excepting to come with and I did because I had to know if she'd make it.

While on the way I called my parents well my mother, when she picked up I blatantly told her I'd be at the hospital. When she asked why in her worried voice, I told her exactly why. There was just silence at her end of the line while respirators and machines were making their noise here. She told me that she'd be there with my father and the line went dead, I started to cry out of guilt now.

I felt one of the paramedics back here nudge me on my shoulder to tell me that She would make it but he also said she might be out for awhile and my reassurance was cut in half. I wanted her to wake up, I wanted to apologize and make this up, make everything I did to her up. When we were at the hospital they rolled her in to the emergency room as fast as they could and I stayed at the waiting room, lost in my own thoughts.

Why did I have to take it this far? Because I'm a pretentious ass like Ruby said I was. Why did I let this happen? Because I'm a bitch and I thought it was funny. Gritting my teeth from the upcoming tears, I gripped the chair seat for comfort. I stayed like that for about fifteen minutes before I saw my parents in front of me, my mother had sympathy in her eyes while my father had disappointment in his. I looked down while my mother hugged me, when my father was around I didn't want to show emotions but with what Ruby did, I couldn't help it and I started crying on my mom's shoulder. I heard my father sigh but he spoke up with his deep voice, "This will all work itself out Weiss." A somber tone coming on.

It was an hour before the doctor came out to look for me. A thought came to me when the doctor headed to us, where we're Ruby's parents? My parents stood up and I did the same when he was close enough to talk too, "Hello there, I'm Ruby's doctor but my I ask Why are the Schnee's here for her?" The doctor questioned us and I stepped forward to tell him about the situation on why.

"Hmm, that is quiet….. unfortunate for Miss. Ruby." He said sadly, and I looked down. "Her condition is a bit critical. She has most of her ribs fractured, a fractured right arm and she will most likely be in a deep sleep for some time because of her concussion from hitting the ground to hard from the cause of impact... his voice held a great sorrow for Ruby, like it pained him for say this. "It's actually a bit ironic in a morbid kind of sense that she was hit by a car." He finally said to us, we looked at him confused, what did he mean by that?

"What do you mean by that Doctor.." That was my father speaking, the Doctor sighed and looked at the white wall dully for no particular reason and I felt nervous.

"Well you see Mr. Schnee, Ruby and her parents had a devastating car crash three years ago, you might have heard it in the news; it was quiet horrible because Ruby was the only survivor." My jaw locked and my mother gasped. "She also had no relatives that were known or willingly wanted her, so she became independent at an early age." It was silent after his explanation.

So he means to tell us that Ruby was an orphan in a sense!? That only made my guilty feelings come back with a vengeance because of my words to her before the accident..

"C-can I see her?" I put my left hand on my chest gripping my white shirt. He nodded before saying, "Only one person can go in." to my parents that were stepping forward to come with. He showed me where the room was located at before leaving me.

Walking into the room where she was in, I saw her wired to a lot of different machines for different purposes and I looked down feeling horrible and sick at myself, she couldn't even breathe on her own. I did this to her and she didn't even deserve this. Now I knowing of her past, she hid it well for the most part or maybe I never even thought about it hard enough. If I had known I wouldn't have been so… looking up and at her I realized that was what she was trying to avoid in people, that was why she was so anti-social.. She didn't want to be treated differently well more differently, she didn't want this pity that came with this kind of situation, she just wanted to be normal.

Slowly walking closer to the comatose Ruby I spoke softly to her, "D-dolt you should have saved me!" Gritting my teeth and sucking in a shaky breathe, "When you wake up, I swear I'll make this up, not out of pity but as repayment for saving my life." I grabbed her limp hand gently, "I won't tell anybody about your secret either, I promise you that as well." Squeezing her hand the last time before letting go and walking to the door. I took a deep breathe and walked back to the waiting room.

After me and my parents left the hospital we were now driving back home and It was an awful silent and somber ride back too. When I went inside my house my parents spoke to me in a authority type way, I just wanted to escape for awhile. The first was my Father, "Weiss, what are you going to do with that girl when she wakes up?" His deep voice echoed throughout the mansion while I straightened myself before looking at him in the eye. "Father I will do everything I can to make up for the wrong I did to her today and for the past few months I have bullied her. I will apologize to her even if she doesn't forgive me, either way I deserve it for what I've done to her.." He was silent to me but he soon nodded his head, his eyes shown something other than disappointment for once in a long time now; he soon left to walk upstairs, most likely to his office to think about today.

Now it was my Mothers turn for input, she took a seat on the couch and motioned for me to sit next to her before she spoke anything to me. Doing as I was told she then began to talk, "First off Weiss how are you from all of this?"

"I'm just feeling so horrible like I should be..." That was the truth I felt like utter trash. I felt tears coming up again until She grabbed my hand, It gave me a little bit of more comfort. "Secondly, why did you bully the girl and go so far as to Chase her down? What was the purpose?" I cringed at the inevitable question she going to ask.

"To be honest I don't know why anymore. Heck I don't even really remember how it all started anyways. I just faintly recall it being for a stupid reason, But you have to know I never wanted it to turn out like this, I truly didn't!" I Looked down and gripped my skirt with my free hand, I hated myself again.

"Honey Please look at me.." I didn't obey her. I heard her sigh until she put her other hand on my face to guide me to see hers. "Honey, Did you want to be Ruby's friend since you first meet her but you just didn't know how to interact with her correctly? I know it's hard for you to make friends since you got out of home schooling." There was a pause before she softly spoke again, "Did you end up doing all this just so you could get her to interact with you?" She still wasn't finished though. "So when she began getting other friends and not being alone from what I can gathered, you became upset with her? Is that what it is, Weiss?"

Silence loomed over us after she finished that. Was that it? Was I jealous that Ruby was beginning to have friends and I wasn't getting her full attention? Was I that selfish to be that possessive over her for not giving me her own attention because she was the only one to ever really tolerate my bossy nature? The worst is I already knew the answer to those questions. I nodded to my mother and she smiled sadly, I looked at her for an explanation. "You may look like me but you certainly get your personality and attitude from your father and you learn best when what you wanted it is completely on the line.."

Still confused, she explained even further. "When your father and I were younger He was just like that with me when we first meet; cold, rude, and easily frustrated at every little thing I did. He always pressured me to be the perfect girl for him but until it got to frustrating to handle anymore, I snapped at him and threatened him to change his ways before he lost me completely. To say the least he really did change for the better to save our almost ruined relationship."

I never heard that story before well I mostly never heard any of their stories from When they were my age; they were private kind of people never telling anything. I tried to speak to my mother but nothing came out, I didn't know what to say to that. She squeezed me on the shoulder, "You don't have to try to say anything to me, I already know you will change for the better, I know you will prove people that you aren't as bad as you made them believe." She smiled. "Your father and I know you will fix your mistakes, that's why we aren't punishing you for this." She finally said as she got up from the white couches before joining my father upstairs.

Finally left alone in the living room with my thoughts, I ungracefully layed down on the couch. I was exhausted both mentally and emotionally, none of what happened this evening was ever suppose to happen but it did and it made realize just how screwed up I've been to everyone. I just thought being like my father to everyone would make me less of a disappointment in his eyes but it did the opposite for me. That logic I thought was good was the reason why I never made my father proud or made any good friends, he wanted me to be myself and not him at this age, He wanted me to be better than him, that's probably why his eyes showed pride when I told him I would make this mess up.

Closing my eyes I swore to myself that I would change starting from this day onwards. Whether Ruby hated me or not or if everyone never believes my self-change and just think it's all an act; I would still change for the better!

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**I swear I suck at ending stuff. XD **


	7. Chapter 6: Changing Is Tough

**Hello! So how'd ya like last chapter, I hope it wasn't too bad or out of nowhere. But it needed to happen for the sake of Weiss! **

**As for my chapter updates it will be randomly. **

**Anyways this is a Weiss's POV chapter because if I did Ruby POV ALL you would get is nothing. So READ AND REVIEW! **

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The weekend was utterly anxiety filled which it should. For Ruby, she was still sleeping which I had excepted but it still hurt to see her that way. I also started to give her a variety of different (1)flowers like daffodil, white tulips, and purple hyacinth at her bedside.

Later in the weekend I ended up going into a research mode to find out where Ruby lived and because I knew the right source's how to get that kind of information, it was quiet easy to get it. Going to where Ruby was living, I had scaled the apartment complex she lived in. It was decent looking compared to what I have seen in the lower parts of this city, it had a small indoor pool on the ground level and medium sized balconies to the rooms above the streets so there was no real danger there for her but I guess Ruby already knew this...

Lastly I was nervous in actually going to school today, I mean I'm already ready but it still makes me anxious. Does anybody else know about Ruby's condition? Or if they saw on the news about a girl from our school getting hit? Did they see me? Do they know what I did to Ruby? All those questions plagued my mind all throughout the morning causing me to skip breakfast, much to my mother's concern.

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As of now I was being dropped off at Beacon High and I tried not thinking about how Ruby wasn't going to be there today, it was proving unsuccessful. I got out of the car when it stopped in front of the school's entrance I said my quick farewell to my mother. Looking at the building and seeing its large numeral clock, it's large water fountain in front, and few students walking by in there own world this early morning; I nervously began to walk towards the large door entrance. Before I had the chance to even get into the school I was swooped away so fast, that I felt weightless but was very quickly reminded that I wasn't weightless as I was slammed into a secluded part of the school.

Gasping from the sudden lose of air, I saw an eerie pair of bright golden eyes. I was shaken by this person, but trying to not let fear show I replaced my expression with anger. "W-who are you!?" I demanded them, probably not the smartest thing to do right now as they tightened their hold of my wrists. I heard the person scoff at me before revealing themselves.

It was Blake.

Shaking off her hood of her jacket, Her eyes narrowed at me before she leaned into the side of my face. She whispered into my ear. "I can't believe you have the nerve of showing your face here after what you did to Ruby Friday." She growled at the last part and I was completely petrified at this degree of anger Blake was showing, it seemed out of character..

My mind began to ponder but she quickly regained my attention when She duged her nails into my wrist making me wince, "B-Blake, I didn't mean for that to happen to Ruby and how did you know about it being F-Friday!?" I shouted my question at her, though I didn't mean too but the pain was growing to much to bare.

The pain got worse when Blake slammed me again on the building wall making me cry out, "Shut up that's not your concern! My concern is if Ruby's okay and making you suffer!" She said with so much venom in her voice that I didn't know someone like her could have. She was always so quiet before.…

I gritted my teeth, my patience was Waring thin by her anger. "S-so you were spying on her, huh? Well isn't that a bit hypocritical of you to judge me then, when you could have helped her." I was being snarky now, I needed to stop but I couldn't. "What? You didn't trust Ruby enough that she could handle her own little outing with That bunny girl? Or Did you get jealous that Ruby wasn't paying so much attention to you anym-" I saw stars for a brief second before an enormous amount of pain was placed at my left cheek. I should really shut my mouth more often, old habits die hard they say...

"You...You no good brat! You people always think that your special and different and that you can get anything you want without any consequences!" She yelled at me again but I had enough of her at this point so I yelled back yet again.

"Blake please just consider actually listening to me! I can tell you these questions right now!" I paused slightly to formulate the rights words, Blake was growing impatient. "One Ruby's alive but she's kinda in a…coma…. B-but she's excepted to wake up soon, okay!? Second, I know that I'm no good and I know that I'm a brat but don't you dare think I don't know the consequences to my actions!" She seemed like she was about to yell at me again but I interrupted that before it happened. "I'm just now trying to change for the better! For my sake and Ruby's sake..." I choked at the last part, the weight of everything seemed to come back right now.

Blake's expression changed from anger to disbelief then to shock and finally understanding. After a while she let go of me and I immediately rubbed my wrists in a soothing motion from the pain of her previous actions.

"Sorry." She was looking down probably ashamed for her anger that wasn't to misplaced.

I shook my head, "No, I…deserved that and a lot more, most likely..." I finished as I Looked up at the semi-clouded sky.

"Weiss Schnee will you take me to where Ruby is?" She asked but it was more of a demand on her part.

"But we're suppose to be in school right now." I retorted, When she heard that she glared at me as she took a step closer to me and I moved back onto the wall again.

"Fine, fine! I'll just pretend that this is something that needs to be done right now!" I caved in to her. I didn't want a repeat of a few moments ago, as I walked passed Blake; Excepting her to follow me. If this is how Blake reacts to Ruby getting this injured from me, God help me when I have to confront the Yellow Beast(2).…

* * *

Thirty-five minutes of unadulterated silence from just walking to the hospital. It was almost hair pulling, the girl is easily the most unsettling person I have ever met besides my father and that says something about her character. "We're almost there." I couldn't take it anymore of this silence! I had to distract myself of this mood that we created.

I heard her hum, acknowledging me of what I said and I sighed exasperated. It was obvious that Blake hated me but why? It just couldn't be all because Ruby, it had to be something else to this girl, but I hardly doubted that she would tell me anything.

Noticing that the hospital was insight now, the large red plus sign in the middle of the overhang gave it away to us. I was a bit surprised that the cops didn't spot us, I mean we weren't being very inconspicuous with how we were walking to our designation... Or that our clothes weren't very mature looking...

When we walked into the entrance the clerk that was at the check in desk had immediately recognized me. "Oh Miss. Schnee! Shouldn't you be at school?" The young looking woman questioned me, her eyebrows furrowed together in puzzlement. She set me off...

Giving her the most emotionless and unreadable face, I tried giving off a superior air about myself. I moved my leg in front and smacking my shoes heel loudly on the smooth White floor(3), I started. "Ms. Taylor, I will come and go as I please whether I have school or not." I noticed her hand was on the phone. " If you call the authorities I will do something drastic to your job as well." I smirked as I saw the woman stiffen and go pale at my threat. Maybe Blake was right, maybe I did think I was superior to most people, another trait to work at...

"Sorry! G-go ahead Miss. Schnee and company!" She sputtered out as she wrote my name on the check in paper and giving me those visitor stickers. After putting my sticker, I gave off a smug expression at the clerk then to Blake as I gave her, her visitor sticker.

"As I said, superiority complex with you people." I heard Blake mumble from behind me as we went to Ruby's room.

"It got the job done, didn't it?" I retorted back to her when we got into the elevator, Ruby was in the fifth floor of this hospital building. I heard her scoff at that before I saw her speak up again but in more of a whispery tone.

"Is Ruby mostly okay besides her being in comatose state?" Her voice held an undercurrent of emotions that made me feel guilty again. I sighed at her, training my eyes to look at my feet.

"She's okay but not okay. She has most of her ribs broken and a fractured right arm." I grimly stated to her, as the elevator doors opened . "Again I never meant for that to happen to her, It should have been me not her, She didn't deserve that." I teared up again, I guess this is what happens when you see a traumatic event, you tend to be very emotional.

There was a silence but with an occasional sniffle from me as we got closer to the room Ruby was in. She was one of the last rooms straight down from where the elevator we were in. I heard Blake sigh before she spoke up, "About earlier you were correct on me spying on Ruby, but I wasn't alone…." Blake scratched her cheek. "Well, in the first part of her outing with Velvet, it was Yang and me before we got kicked out... but I did stay back watching her from afar afterwards though." She paused. "When she left that is when I saw you coming from behind her and then in seconds you were both yelling at each other, her storming away from you, then you stomping your way towards her blinded by your anger and you know the rest..." I stumbled when she told me her side of the story, I was shocked that she even admitted to me.

Though I had to admit that I basically knew her story from the start but I just wanted her to tell me herself, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Before I could say anything she rushed past me to the room Ruby was in, I didn't even notice that we were at the end of the hallway, as almost hit the white wall. Recovering from that, I hung my blue shoulder bag on the door hanger when I got into the small entrance of the room.

As I walked further into the room I heard the many beepings of the machines in here. I saw Blake near the foot of Ruby's bed, hesitantly looking at her like if she wanted to touch her but if she did in anyway she would break her; I thought that too when I saw her hooked up with so many machines.… "Blake you can touch her hand, you won't hurt her..." I tried reassuring the older girl, all I got was a defiant look. I sighed at her again before going up to the side of the bed, from the corner of my eye I could see her extending her arm like she wanted me to stop.

Gently picking up Ruby's left hand, I proved my point to Blake. Stretching my free arm, I grabbed Blake's wrist from her and placed her unwilling hand onto Ruby's. The look she gave me was incredulous, I rolled my eyes before slowly stepping back as she stepped closer to where I was standing. Examining the room better I saw that everything was the same in here, my previous flowers that I put here were still not thrown away yet by any of the nurses. I walked to the other side of the room where the window was at, sitting down I looked out of the window to pass the time.

Looking down my phone I saw that it read ten-thirty am. We spent at least three hours here just either looking at Ruby or just an awkward silence from Blake. I don't get how someone could just be completely okay without talking to at least someone but I guess Blake's use to it. I was about to get up to get a snack at the cafeteria here but I was stopped half way by Blake, "Have her parents been notified?" My heart skipped a beat at her question, turning my head slightly to look at her in puzzlement, I saw that her face was expressionless as ever but her eyes said everything. She knew.

Releasing a breathe I didn't know I held in. "Yes her Family has been informed of this, where do you think those flowers came from from?" I had to lie to her and I had to use items I bought before as false evidence for her. I saw her eyes move to the flowers and back to me and she glared at me, of course she caught me lying. No don't think that, I glared back at Blake, "What you don't believe me? I did go with Ruby here!"

Silence was her response to me and I rolled my eyes at her in irritation. "I'm going to get snacks for us." And with that I stomped my way out of the room. That girl was unnerving as hell! I don't know how Ruby could actually deal with it! I clicked the button on the wall to call the elevator. That glare she gave me told me that she knew about Ruby but how? I may not know Ruby all that well and I barely knew that she was all alone in this world but just looking at her, she seemed that she was uneasy with people and a week and a half wouldn't make her all that trusting with her friends yet. It was unrealistic if she told Blake anything at all about her situation..

The elevator doors opened with a few people from previous floors up were inside, getting in to do go to the ground level. Still thinking. 'Maybe she's been following Ruby home?' The thought made sense to me Blake was a mysterious person after all. I walked out the elevator when I saw that the doors were open to the right level, I headed to the cafeteria. Winding through the hallways I made it to my wanted designation.

If Blake can succeed in spying on Ruby's outing, what made me think that she couldn't have done it before? Just Who was Blake Belladonna? She just came here to school out of nowhere, even for a transfer student at signal, usually transferring wasn't allowed until the beginning of January after winter break.. The more I questioned who the girl was, the more suspicious Blake became in my head, I had to find out more about her...

After getting what I wanted from the many different vending machines scattered around and guessing what Blake wanted from here, I went back to the room. Stopping outside the room I peaked in. Blake was looking at Ruby's face while sitting down, she let go of Ruby's hand for a quick second to gently remove a stray hair from Ruby's face before rejoining her hand to Ruby's.. I could tell Blake had some infatuation to Ruby and vice versa. I mean who just stares at a person all throughout their classes, blushes when they are just talking to them or spy on them every still day...

Shaking my head, I headed inside the room. "Here. I didn't know what you wanted so I guessed" Once I caught her attention I handed her a paper cup full of coffee with small packs of sugar if she wanted to sweeten her coffee and a bag of chocolate chips. "Uh thanks.."

I hummed, acknowledging her before sitting down once again. Popping my diet soda open, I took a long sip, it relieved me of some of my stresses. When twenty or so minutes past, were both done with our snacks and again in silence, though it was more comfortable. "We should start heading back to school now….." I heard her reluctantly mumble out quietly. She was looking down, was it me or was her bow deflated a little as well? Shaking my head a little at that notion I got up.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. We'll at least make it at lunch time if we sneak in?" Unsure of my own words but I saw Blake nod anyway.

"It can give you time to tell Yang and Velvet as well." She gave me a 'Good luck' face while I cringed in fear of the near future. "Cya later Ruby.." I heard her faintly say as she squeezed the girl's hand one last time. She started walking out but not before taking my bag with her, I also said my goodbyes to Ruby myself before speed walking to catch up to Blake. Blake was already at the elevator waiting, God was She a Ninja or something? Catching up to her at the right time the doors opened we began our way back to school.

* * *

By the time we were back at campus it was eleven-thirty-eight am just five minutes late... "So how are we sneaking in?" I never had done something like this okay, don't judge me Blake!

She sighed heavily and gave me a look of 'really?' I just scoffed at her. "It's simple, We just dig a hole underneath this fence." I felt a vein pop out of my forehead at her sarcasm before I heard a thub and rattling of metal. She was already climbing the fence while her backpack was on the other side, I'm glad I'm wearing jeans today... I huffed in irritation before following Blake's example. When I was at the top I got nervous about jumping off to the other side and I Blake caught on quickly. "What's wrong? Just jump." She gave off an annoyed expression.

"Easier for you to say! I haven't ever done something like this so catch me!" I yelled/demanded of her in my flustered state. I was gripping the metal bar in the middle tightly so wouldn't fall of from here.

"Are you serious!" Her eye twitched now and I nodded furiously. "You're unbelievable. Do you know that?" While she gritted her teeth together before extending both her arms out. "Hurry up!" Her eye still twitching in annoyance at me.

"Fine! I'm jumping down! You better catch me!" She huffed exasperatedly before I pushed off the fence and squeaked a little at the weightless feeling. I felt a strong grip at my waist before hearing a grunt of frustration, I was successfully caught by Blake. "Thanks.." quickly saying that as she let go of me and began walking away from me to go to the cafeteria area. Luckily nobody was around to spot us when we did that poorly went plan of hers.

As we got closer to where the cafeteria was, my stomach did nervous flips. Thinking over how Ruby's friends would react I know that Yang is over-protective of Ruby for whatever reason, even I'm not quite sure.. then that Faunas named Velv-something would probably start crying, making Yang even more upset and ultimately kill me in her rage fit, that is vastly feared here. I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"We're here." What? Sure enough, Blake was right, we were at the entrance to the cafeteria. I bit my lip hard in nervousness. Oh I so didn't want to do this but it was necessary.

"Um, B-Blake." Damn it! I stuttered! "Could you bring Yang and Velvet out Here, it would cause less of a scene if it was talked outside, please." I felt very uneasy, sure they could have seen the news and heard about it and I'm sure they had at some point during the weekend too, but I'll admit I'm not use to this.

"Alright Schnee" I heard a understanding tone from her before she opened the door to tell the two certain people that needed to hear this. Moving under to their usual tree that they ate at, I began to mess with with my side ponytail, twirling it on my finger until it was to much and releasing it to redo the same thing. I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was Blake who did it but slightly behind her were the confused but desired people I needed. Nodding at the bow wearing girl she moved to the side letting me and the other two girls face together.

"Uh, so what's this about Blake? Why did you bring us to the ice queen?" Yang looked at Blake suspiciously while Velvet just looked back and forth at them worriedly. I coughed in my hand, grabbing their attention again.

"Blake has brought you two out here because I need to tell you something important for once..." I gulped loudly, it seemed that no students were outside today, ha. Yang raised an eyebrow As if saying to me 'go on' While her shoulders tensed up, the Faunas clutched her hands in nervousness. "W-well this news isn't the most…greatest but you should know that..." Shakily breathing in air I spudded out, "On Friday evening I-I accidentally caused Ruby to get into a really bad accident leaving her in a comatose state for a little bit…" Biting the inside of my cheek before releasing it." I know what I did was horrible and I deserve what Ruby got but I'm trying to change my ways, truly I am!" I bowed my head at them. Silence was all that came, I looked up before I was struck by a fist, square in my face. It lifted me up and launched me across the cement floor, the landing was nothing compared to my face, I was bleeding from my nose. I clutched my nose as I screamed in pain, I was writhing on the floor, I was soon picked up by my ponytail.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Yang shouted at me, I take back about what I said about Blake, I never want THIS to happen again. I was crying in pain now, I knew this would happen but still. "YOU LITTLE SHIT, I MIGHT MAKE YOU GO INTO A DAMN COMA!" I excepted another punch was coming my way but all that happened was me falling onto my knees. Still clutching my nose and tears escaping, I saw that Blake pinned down the wild blonde beast. Looking over to The bunny, she was in tears, sobbing. I felt utterly disgusted with myself..

After five minutes of just hearing struggling grunts and sobbing, I just fell to the side silently crying from the pain and guilt. This was a utter mess.… After awhile all this commotion finally drew in attention of the teacher's. These teachers and security suck at their job...

* * *

We were all at the principles in a matter of seconds, I was handed a tissue from the vice principal Dr. Ozpin when we're all seated. The principal named Qrow was faced with his seat's back facing us, it was like one of those villains in movies that just do this for intimidation, it worked it. It would've worked better if The one next to me didn't want to kill me, so I stiffly sat in my seat. "What's the meaning of all this?" His voice sounded like he was so done with us.

"Uncle it isn't important for you to hear!" Yang yelled at the principal, u-uncle!? I choked and the rest gasped in shock, excluding Dr. Ozpin.

"Niece please tell that to someone who doesn't know you." He dully responded back to her, she was about to argue back to him. "It's clear as day that it's important enough that you punched Miss. Schnee and Miss. Scarlatina started to sob in public. So tell me what happened. Now."

Yang growled at him before explaining the situation. The principal and Dr. Ozpin was shocked to say the least, but principal Qrow seemed a bit more? " I-Is this true Miss. Schnee?" He had a disbelieving tone when he asked me and I nodded slowly, hiding my eyes with my bangs. "You other two can confirm this?" His glasses he wore glared from the lighting, making him look very serious.

"Yes we can, especially me." That was Blake. Looking up and ignoring the angered beast that was Yang. I lean forward and stared at Blake. "I can say that Ruby is indeed in the hospital and is in a comatose state, but she is being cared for and excepted for a full recovery." He seemed to have calmed down after hearing Blake explain and so did Yang. This principal Qrow was a bit on the intimidating side, I wonder if he has the same temper as Yang.…

After that we all left with just a simple warning from him, it took about all of fifth period too. As Yang, Blake and I headed to P.E, Velvet went to a different class. "Weiss you better take us to see Ruby again today and maybe I'll believe you on how 'you're going to change' bit." She gestured with her nose crinkled up and tone full of skepticism.

"I will take you guys! You don't have to be that way..." I sounded a bit different because my nose was sore. I looked at the floor beneath me tiredly before looking up at her with determination, "I know this probably won't fix anything but I am sorry about all this, I know you're protective over Ruby, I know you or her shouldn't ever forgive me but I'll help her in whatever way she or you wants me too! She did save my life and I owe her quite a lot.." Yang side-glanced down at me looking for any lie hidden behind my face, I felt a bit hurt by that but it's too be excepted...

But to my surprise she chuckled a little, before walking faster. I looked at Blake for answers and all I got was a simple shrug. I don't understand anything about these people! One minute they're pissed off at me and the next they're willing to be kind to me! I huffed before speeding up to make it to my next class, this day has been nothing but a roller coaster ride for me.…

* * *

**(1) All those flowers meanings are for forgiveness and starting over. **

**(2) Weiss refers Yang as the Yellow beast because of Yang's abnormal strength and her rudeness to her. **

**(3) If you've watched kill la kill, I was going for how Satsuki always clicks her heels on the ground and then she suddenly has everyone's agreement and a superior vibe too her.. Yeah that's what I was doing with Weiss...**

**ANYWAYS I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE RWBY CHARACTERS SO DON'T SUE ME YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING...**


	8. Chapter 7: Pulling My Own Weight

** Hello dear readers! I am back too give you the seventh chapter of Oh No!**

**Another special chapter of the true second main character in this story, Blake Belladonna! Yes we are going inside Blake's mind in this chapter and discover a lot of new things about her! (Hopefully it's good!)**

**Anyways READ and REVEIW!**

* * *

Hiding in the shadows from the many alleyways in between buildings of this busy city. I was '_stalking_' a younger girl in a red scarf, she was one of my better friends here in Valve, her name was Ruby Rose. I saw that she had stopped at the crosswalk and she was waiting for the light to change. I had spotted a white haired girl coming towards Ruby. I immediately recognized the scent; it was the spoiled brat of the Schnee's, but before I could do anything I saw Weiss began her verbal attacking with Ruby. In seconds Ruby finally snapped from the constant verbal abuse and so she walked away leaving her bully dazed from the shock which only lasted a few seconds.

Everything then was moving so quickly for me because the next thing I saw was a car coming straight at Weiss and Ruby rushed to her aid that the brat didn't deserve. The girl that caught my rare interest, was flung into the air like a rag-doll, my eyes widened and my hand lurched forward, I screamed out Her name in fear of her life.

When I tried to run towards her limp body, I fell into a pit of darkness the whole landscape morphed into nothingness as I fell. When I landed, I landed on a cold hard concrete floor with a fence in front of me. I could tell that it was dark and the only source of light was the moonlight above 'me', looking around I saw part of a broken mirror to the side of me and what I saw terrified me. I was a kid again. My heart beat was pounding in my ears but the oh-so-familiar voices I heard snapped me back to look in front of me. There was a tall and broad, slightly young man no more then 30. He had a pair of black cat ears and golden yellow eyes that were telling me to run. While there was another person pushing me away through the fence, it was a female that had dark brown hair with pointed dog type ears, she had a pair of light brown eyes that were also wanting me to run away. I was too shocked that I was paralyzed and I regretted it when I heard a few deep voiced men coming at..my parents.

I heard them yell at them before I heard a gunshot rung threw the air before I saw my father fall to the ground moments after. My breathe was caught in my throat, "BLAKE RUN!" My mother yelled at me and I stared at her with tears in my eyes, I was so confused. Until I heard another gunshot and the bullet went right into my mother's head and her blood splattered onto my face, I screamed...

* * *

I sat up on my bed I was laying in as fast as I could. I was breathing hard and fast, I was sweating. Running my hand through my hair I was beyond startled, ''What the hell Blake, that hasn't ever happen to me.'' I mumbled out to no one, grabbing my phone from my night stand next to my bed, it read three-thirty am. I never had a nightmare about that in my life, why now?

Drip. Drip.

Where had those droplets come from? I brought my hand to touch my face and I realized I was crying... I haven't cried in years and right now I was crying from that 'nightmare' I just witnessed. I bit my lip, I felt my whole body start to quiver in unwanted emotions but I couldn't stop, I could never stop when I was like this and so I began to sob aloud.

After that emotional slip up and trying to recover. I had gotten out of bed Shakily, knowing I couldn't go back to sleep, I wouldn't even bother with that notion anyway. Slipping my shoes on and grabbing my black jacket from my couch I went to go outside. I forgot my bow but It really didn't matter that I did, I mean this was the dead hour. I only wear that bow because I hide my Faunas traits, yes I was a Faunas. A cat Faunas that hid her ears because she didn't want people causing her any future problems.

Walking down the quiet dark sidewalk, I was subconsciously going somewhere though I did have a vague idea. The next thing I knew, I was at the hospital entrance, it was closed for visitors now. It was about two weeks since I went to see Ruby here. Why? Well because I just felt like it was wrong of me to see her like that, she wasn't even awake still from what I could tell from Yang, Velvet and Weiss's conversation on the subject.

Blake sighed, Ruby had caught her interest since she spotted her fighting those males and defending Velvet's life. In all her life she never seen that from a human, it was a perplexing site to her but it caught her rare interest for that red-head from that moment on. Ruby may have tried to hide her secrets from everyone but if any person took their time they could read that girl from how expressive her eyes were; they told her story for her. That was another reason why she felt a connection with Ruby, She knew what she felt all the time; a mind tearing loneliness, a deep disappointment for being 'weak' and a gut wrecking guilt that she could've done anything to change an outcome that wasn't ever suppose to happen. She knew those emotions all to well and it was almost for the same damn reason too.

Blake just wanted to help the younger girl through it before those emotions lead her down the wrong path like it did her. But Ruby was a stubborn girl that thought she would be treated differently if she did say anything about her past, it was a valid reason but Blake just wanted her to talk about it without lying to her or anyone. She hated liars but I guess that would be hypocritical of her to think that. She does try to hide her Faunas heritage to everyone of her friends here, so what made her think otherwise that Ruby would just tell her about her past when Blake couldn't do it herself.

Then Blake's thoughts went to her friends, the youngest being Velvet. Velvet was a Faunas as well, she didn't try to hide her ears or anything and Blake admired her for it. But she knew it did cost a lot of Velvet's safety and that was another reason why she hid her own Faunas ears; even though she could take care of herself. Velvet was also a sweet and smart girl, she wouldn't even be surprised if the bunny already found out She was a cat Faunas. I mean all Faunas did have higher senses. Ultimately Blake respected the younger girl for not being a shamed of her Faunas heritage. After all she did remember that it wasn't the first time she'd seen the Bunny girl before.

The oldest in the group was Yang. Yang was different as well from the rest of the humans she meant in her life and just like Ruby when it came to Faunas's. She was alright with them but if they (well anyone) did wrong she wouldn't hesitate to call them out for it, not in spiteful way but like a mother scolding their child. Blake felt it was stupid that Faunas's were treated so poorly so when she heard Ruby say that she accepted them and Yang also agreeing, she felt she wasn't alone anymore on that subject. Yang being the oldest Blake felt a bit closer to her for that reason because she knew the blonde might have a bit of a go-lucky attitude most of the time but Yang knew when to be mature when it was needed. Especially with the matters of Ruby. For some reason Yang was also immediately close to the younger girl but her reasons for it were unknown too Blake. Though It did feel more like a protective, comforting older sister vibe then anything else.

Lastly there was Weiss Schnee the girl that put Ruby in the hospital on accident. Weiss never accounted for Ruby's kindness to save her in that time. She was a snotty and uppity girl before that accident, well she still was but it was toning down a lot. Actually everything about her nasty attitude was toning down and what I saw without that consistent barrier up was just a lonely girl that hid behind her family titles. Weiss was actually a pleasant but a very moody person to hang around with; She was also the third youngest in our little group which was perplexing to me for some reason. Maybe in a weird sort of way she was closer too Ruby than anyone realizes.

If I thought about it more, I knew what Weiss said to me two weeks ago in the hospital was true. I knew she would change her ways after the accident but I didn't believe her in that time, I don't think anyone did but she was proving us all wrong. Even with Faunas's she wasn't so bad with them, well mostly to Velvet. Most likely because she was Ruby's friend, with the rest she just glared at them but she tried not to put them down along with the other student body. Weiss really did try to change for the better but still keeping her original ways with her.

Sighing, Blake turned her back from the entrance to go back home to try to sleep. She'll just come back later to here, to her.

Just then Blake's cat ears twitched at a disturbance behind her and she immediately knew who it was. Her fists balled up at the most unwanted person she would've wanted to meet in the early morning. "What do you want Adam?" Her tone and body language was clear indicator that she was aggravated by his presence.

"Jeez, not even a hello for an old friend?" His gruff arrogant voice wanted to make her punch him in the face. Distracted with that thought she noticed too late that he put his left hand on her shoulder and leaned forward from behind her to whisper in her ear, "I know how important that human girl is to you." He stated casually and she stayed motionless." It's a shame that she's going to be in more trouble than what it's worth later on. But if you came back to us then she won't be har-Ouf!" Blake cut her former partner off with a swift elbow shot to the gut.

She growled out a warning to him when she turned to face him, "If you even attempt to harm her, I swear Adam." She heard a dark chuckle from him and she felt disgusted. She would never go back to her previous life style no matter what. All those innocent people she hurt and for what? Justice? Ha, That was laughable. " I quit that life with a reason Adam. Just because you're lonely without your use-to-be easily manipulated partner doesn't mean shit to me." She shoved Adam to the ground. "So go find another gullible person to believe your lies." Blake spat out having enough of this meeting.

As she was beginning to walk away, Adam lounged at her from behind in anger for being rejected. "You ungrateful little bitch!" He shouted at her but was soon back on the ground with more pain to his body. He was plainly kicked in the face by Blake. While he was down Blake roughly grabbed and dragged Adam by his horns. Dragging him from the entrance of the hospital to flinging him to the streets.

"Now if you're done with your bullshit, leave me and any of friends alone or else." That was Her final warning to her former partner. If he challenged her which was more than likely, she would have to put him in his place.

She finally began walking back to her apartment. Blake had left her past life behind and she meant it. Screw the people she once knew, they were all spoiled fruits and she had no reasons to feel any emotional connections with them. They were not how they use to be in the beginning when she first meet them; they were all just cold blooded monsters now and she didn't want to associate herself with them anymore. Even though she had plenty of blood on her hands as well, but she didn't ever forget the guilt and disgust with herself after it, unlike her teammates.

* * *

When she got back to her apartment it was five o'clock in the morning but she didn't care. She just finally realized that her past was really going to bite her and her friends in the ass, she didn't want that at all. Still standing at the her door she weaved both her hands in her hair as she slid down the door to the floor, she was stressing and that wasn't a good thing. Shakily sighing from her position, she finally got up and headed to her bathroom.

Once there she turned on her faucet to her sink, she cupped her hands together to get the water. Once she did, she splashed it on her face, relieving her of some of her stresses. Her face still dripping from the water, she examined her face. She had faint tired bags under her eyes while her eyes shown nothing but dullness, but that's what happens when she sees Adam, her previous partner and adopted brother. He somehow always managed to drain her of energy after each meeting, mostly because he knew what buttons to push..

And yes. Adam was her adopted older brother, well in a sense; there weren't any documents but it was more like his family took her in at a young age to be considered that.

_ After the events of her parents she ran off never looking back and from then on she was homeless. For half a year she lived in alleyways or broken down buildings and lived off of stolen food from convenient stores like sodas or snacks, easy things to steal really. Until one day she tried pick-pocketing. It came easy for her to do that to adults but when she tried it on a certain unsuspecting boy that evening by the park, she was caught red handed by his dad. She could remember the strong grip the muscular man held on her wrist before lifting her up, she was frightened by it and so she started struggling to get out. "Dad! What are you doing?" She heard Adam's once small squeaky voice shout at his dad. _

_ "She tried to steal from you, even if you didn't have anything on you." His father's strong voice stated to his son and Adam stayed quite after that. Adam's father was very intimidating man from When she first meet him. He had darker red hair than his son, and a pair of red eyes, his son was a spitting image of him. _

_His eyes bore into me judging me and after awhile his eyes softened at me. "Hmm, so that's your reasoning for doing this." He simply said before letting me go, I was confused when I fell to my knees. I looked up at him, I was wanting answers and I got them as he kneeled down to me. " Your homeless aren't you?" I heard Adam's breathe hitch, he was shocked and that somehow made me feel horrible and I began to cry in front of them and the other few people there. _

_Sniffling after letting it out he sadly smiled at me before standing me up and extending his hand out at me after. "Would you like to have a home again?" I couldn't believe he's kindness and I grew suspicious. "Oh please, if I wanted to do something bad to you I would have done it, whether people were present or not." He blatantly stated at me and I just stubbornly refused until..._

_ "That means I could have a little sister, dad?" His voice was so hopeful and enthusiastic and his eyes shown that as he clasped my hands together. I stiffened when he did that but I soon relaxed once I saw those emotions he was letting pass by in his eyes and I knew I couldn't refuse after that. _

_"I-I'll go with you." My naive ten year old self said to them. Adam was ecstatic from that while his father signaled us to walk with him to their house. _

_"What's your name? My name is Adam Taurus." He spoke up as we walked to his house. _

_"M-my name is Blake B-Belladonna." I stuttered at him and he chuckled at my awkwardness. I just blushed because that was the only thing I could do._

* * *

** FROM SHADOWS**

** WE'LL DESCEND UPON THE WORLD**

** TAKE BACK WHAT YOU STOLE**

That loud noise startled me from my memories. My phone's alarm song was blaring at me with my favorite song and that only happened when it was time for me to get ready for school... she sighed before going out of her bathroom into her small bedroom to change out of her pajamas into simple black jeans with a dark Gray sleeveless shirt and purple converse. After getting dressed Blake made a quick breakfast called cereal, while eating she made the final decision in her head to go see Ruby after school.

After putting on her bow and grabbing her school bag from the entrance she went outside to the hallways. When she walked down the familiar path to the exit Blake's eyes locked onto the room number 215. Briefly stopping in front of the door, she clenched her fists. Yes she knew that Ruby lived here, she could smell her scent since the first day she came here but in that time she didn't know Ruby that well, but it made her upset that Ruby felt like she needed to hide these things after. I mean if a person wanted to they could easily have followed Ruby home or if you're like Weiss status, track you down.

Shaking her head she refocused herself to head to school. When she got there it was as she suspected, boring as can be, most of her classes that day taught the same bull she already knew. The only class to provide any new challenges were her art class and Mr. Torchwick may have been her most disliked teacher there, mostly because he reminded her of Adam but at least he made interesting shit up to do for art. Their projects still weren't graded, he said something along the lines of it will be great or terrible things for us in the future. It really didn't matter to her, all she wanted was Ruby to be here when they did get back their work.

At lunch it was the same like it had been for this past week, somber. Hell even Yang's other friends weren't there normal energetic self's and that was alarming. Blake wasn't ever really excepting them to feel bummed out that Ruby was in the hospital, they even went there to give her get well cards for when she woke up. None of them even tried to cheer anyone up which made matters worse.

Well worse for her because she felt like she shouldn't go over there to see Ruby still. In truth she was nervous and scared to see Ruby like that again. All those wires and machines she'd seen when she was there pained her, It pained her because she hated seeing Ruby so vulnerable like that.

"Hello, Earth to Blake!" A gloved hand was waving in her face for a moment before Blake swatted the obnoxious movement away from her. She heard a light chuckle.

Right now Blake was at lunch. I was with Yang, Schnee, Velvet and Yang's other friends in the cafeteria. I guess I was really out of it if I didn't feel the stares from everybody, but I waved them off. Turning my attention to Yang again.

"What is it Yang?" I gave an exasperated breath at Yang. Hey, With hardly any sleep and a unwelcome visit from her brother, Blake was rather easily irritated then usual by Yang's attics.

"I was asking if you were going to come with me to visit Ruby. You've seem to be avoiding it with Bs excuses." Damn she hated how the older girl knew her way of thinking, but she also hated that 'yeah, you know I'm right.' Look Yang was giving her.

Blake scoffed at Yang's comment before wittingly responded, "I was going to go today actually but I guess a free ride over there is also good. Saves time for me." The secret Faunas smiled critically at the wild blonde. She saw the girl cross her arms in irritation and she swore her eyes flashed red for a quick second, but Blake dismissed it. She knew Yang wouldn't do anything to her over something like a witty response.

"With that kind of response I might not be so willing to give you that ride now." She stated at me. My eyes narrowed at her, this girl. "Wipe that expression off your face cause it's not helpin." Her left eyebrow raised playfully, I guess teasing makes her happier because I haven't seen that in awhile.

I sighed in dismay before yielding to her demands. "Sorry I didn't get much sleep today, that's why I'm a bit cranky."

"A bit?" She joked at me and for once in this slightly bad day, I cracked a smile.

After school Yang immediately dragged me to the parking-lot, where her precious motorcycle was. "Bumblebee, how I missed you!" She rubbed the handle gently. Wow, I can't believe She named it Bumblebee. Which it did look like that because of its yellow and black paint-job, but still.

"Hey don't judge me!" She whirled around to point her finger at me. Her expression was only a playful one.

"Sorry, I already did." I shook my head and she huffed at me.

"Whateve's. Just get on!" The wild blonde exclaimed as she got on her motorcycle. I quickly did as she said for once and I awkwardly latched my arms around her waist. Hey, I'm use to cars not bikes on steroids.

"Get ready for a great ride Blake!" I could tell she was grinning like a maniac as she started the engine to Bumblebee. She made it roar for a few moments before she let go of the brakes and let it race forward. I tightened my grip around her waist. I felt very uncomfortable, I should've walked...

After that fast and nauseating ride over to the hospital We both checked in as visitors by the same nurse from two weeks ago. We were Walking in silence to the elevator until Yang spoke up, probably cause she's not use to silence like this.

"Blake, when do you think Ruby will wake up?" Yang's tone was somber now, it felt unnatural to me to hear still.

"It's all up to her to decide when she wants to wake up. I'd rather not get my hopes up though." That's all I could really say over the matter, it wasn't my place to just guess when Ruby wanted to wake up.

I heard her hum in uncertainty over my answer. When we made it up to Ruby's room we took seat's besides her bedside. From seeing Ruby since a two weeks ago and now, things haven't really changed. The only thing different in the room is all the balloons, get well cards, and a few gifts from mostly Velvet. She gave a picture frame of multiple pictures of their time at the mall, other gifts consisted of flowers from Weiss.

Snapping me from my observation, I heard a rustle of some kind. When I looked up at Yang I saw the blonde rummaging through her yellow shoulder bag. Yang finally found what she was looking for when I heard a "aha!" Come From her. From what she got out of her bag It was a plain, small black box and I subconsciously tilted my head to the side in curiosity.

When Yang noticed my staring she started to explain with a knowing smile to me. "Ah, this is a gift to Ruby when she wakes up." She stated wistfully before opening the box. It showed a black strap that held a black and red scythe, probably from some anime show, "I thought it would be nice if I got her this, especially because Ruby draws herself with a scythe.." Yang smiled as she looked at Ruby, something prickled at my skin and I suppressed a frown.

I don't know what this feeling is called but I don't like it but that stare Yang's giving to Ruby makes this weird feeling stronger. When Yang put her gift on the small desk next to Ruby, I blurted out an awkward. "Do you like Ruby, Yang?" I frowned after that, that hasn't happened before and I knew Yang didn't like her that way, so why did I say that?

"Yeah I do." What a quick response She gave, with a smile even though I didn't want to hear or see that at all. My jaw locked to stop myself from blurting out other thoughts that threatened to come out. I then saw her look up at me in surprise. "Wait, wait, wait! You mean like crush status!?" Did she not hear me? But I ended up nodding at her.

"Oh no! Haha" Yang rubbed the back of her neck in nervousness. "I like her as a sister Blake! Jeez you should be more specific to a dense person like me." Her eyebrows furrowed in a playful expression. "Why do YOU like her?"

My eyes widened a bit and I could feel my cheeks burn, did I like Ruby in that way? I am interested in Ruby, but not in that way, right? I shook my head, No I just wanted to protect her, really I did... Before I could verbally say anything back to Yang, She ended up laughing a little. "I'm just playing with you."

Beep. BEEP. Beep

We both looked at Ruby and my breathing quickened. It was pure silence as we saw Ruby's face scrunch up in pain while she fidgeted in her bed restlessly. Then came something that horrified us, She lurched forward in her bed and some of the machinery moved with her while she screamed like she had someone was murdering her. By the time the nurse came Ruby was panting heavily, with her hand on her chest while Yang was cooing her to calm down. I was sitting there frozen in place, like an idiot. What snapped me back into reality was Ruby's next words.

"Where's my mom and dad!?" The red head's voice was hoarse from the lack of speaking but her eyes were looking around the white, sterile room.. I finally stood up to try to help the lost looking girl in front of me, but she flinched away from me, I felt a bit disheartened.

"Ruby!" The nurse, who just came in exclaimed before rushing to Ruby pushing past Yang.

"….." Ruby didn't say anything to the nurse but still in a haze of asking where her parents were and after some time Ruby finally noticed us and her eyes widened. "W-what are you... w-why are you…h-?" She stuttered before her face scrunched up in agony. She started clutching her sides as she fell back, screaming again.

"RUBY!" Both Yang and I yelled out in usion, the nurse pushed us out of the room before anything else could happen.

We saw the doctor and one other nurse come in Ruby's room before they closed the door. Me and Yang looked at each other with worry etched on our faces as we waited beside the room.

"So Ruby's parents.…" Yang started but couldn't finish, she ended up looking at the ground.

"Maybe Ruby just thought that..." I tried to persuade her but I failed. We both knew what Ruby's parents status was..

"Haha" It was a bitter laugh from the Blonde as she ran her hand through her hair. "That's such a horrible persuasion and you know it. I only asked that because I've been here all hours of visiting and not once had they shown up." Yang said, proving my previous thoughts.

"….." I couldn't say anything to her, because what was there to really Say? So I bit my lip, a nervous habit of mine.

"Yeah that's what I thought." That was all she said before she looked down to her feet. We waited by the door for at least 30 minutes before the doctor opened the door, the nurses left but he stayed and stared at us. We immediately got up from the floor.

The doctor sighed before speaking to us. "Ruby is resting now." He stated. "The rough awakening she caused herself made her feel her broken ribs at full force." His face showed that he was upset about that. "All in all she will have a rough recovery ahead of her if she continues waking up like this but I see where it comes from." We made a face to him, what did he mean?

Another sigh. "I know I shouldn't be disclosing personal issues but you two seem like close friends to Ruby so I'll tell you briefly what's wrong." He stated. "Your friends past isn't the most kindest, especially with car crashes. The ordeal she went through two weeks ago may have triggered some awful memories, most likely post traumatic stress.." He grimly said to us before taking his leave.

I saw Yang immediately go into Ruby's room but I stayed behind, thinking. The doctor had unintentionally confirmed my thoughts on Ruby and I felt horrible that I was right along. How could something like that happen to someone as kind as her? It just wasn't fair, but life isn't fair in general. Shaking my head I went inside the room, I was glad that Ruby was just sleeping peacefully and not that with that pained expression.

Yang and I stayed in there for thirty more minutes before deciding to leave, but before that Yang had put her gift in Ruby's hand and then left. Tomorrow after school we would come back to a hopefully awake and not in pain Ruby.

* * *

Once we were outside the hospital entrance Yang spoke up ."Show me where Ruby lives at." She demanded and I decided to act coyly, who was she to assume I knew that, even though I did.

"How should I know? Ruby never told me anything about her living loca-" I was cut off as Yang grabbed me by the collar and lifted me up, her normally violet eyes were strangely red again.

"Don't start with that BS." She gritted her teeth. "I know you think your pretty Damn sneaky and too a normal person sure. But I'm not those normal people, I know you follow Ruby after school and all that shit." I gulped at actually getting caught, only Yang could figure me out and that scared me a little. When she caught herself I heard her take a breathy sigh As she closed her eyes.

"Please Blake." Her eyes turned back to normal but her eyes looked glossy." I need too know." My stomach dropped as she released her grip on me, she was pleading with me.

Looking up at the light orangy evening sky, I closed my eyes, I knew what my decision was.

No


	9. Chapter 8: I burn

A blur of black and yellow zoomed past cars and yellow street lights. The person that was on it was a wild, blonde haired girl which at the moment was frustrated by a simple answer she got by her friend just a ten minutes or so ago. Her face was in a deep scowl while she drove home, Yang just couldn't believe that Damn bow wearing girl denied her of telling her where Ruby lived! She just needed to know too! She needed to know if Ruby lived in a dump of a place or somewhere decent to live!

She knew that she was prying into something that wasn't her business, hell she wanted Ruby to tell her herself! Yang knew that Ruby was hiding something, I mean the girl wasn't exactly a master at lying, even if Ruby thought she was. Yang just felt a bit frustrated with the younger girl for not telling them her situation! Did she even have enough money to pay these future medical bills, maybe even an apartment bill? I mean she kinda got what Ruby was probably thinking if the girl told them her situation but still, they were good friends and they would try to understand Ruby!

"Motherfucker." Yang cussed out trying to relieve her worries of Ruby. She turned a corner heading into a residential area, she parked beside the sidewalk in front of the middle section of the houses on a familiar street. When she fully turned off her motorcycle, Yang noticed the house she parked in front of had the door open and a middle aged man was standing in the door way. She sighed again, knowing that her uncle Qrow wanted to hear the news of Ruby and she especially knew her uncle would tell that something was bugging her once she started.

She began to walk to the house which was a decent sized two-story house. The only reason she lived with her uncle was because her father decided to end his life, Yang was seven years old at that time. She was the first one to see her dad dead only because she went to find him after getting off of school. But when Yang finally stepped inside her dad's study, she found him with a bullet to his head, the gun layed on the floor next to his office chair, to say the least she ended up screaming when she saw that.

Hell she still had nightmares of that scene to this day, but she tried to move on and not think about it but that changed when she re-met Ruby again. Yeah that's right re-met Ruby, She had first meet Ruby Rose when she was just a baby, and to say the least again Yang Xiao Long was Ruby's half sister. Way before her dad's suicide he had married Summer Rose when she was three years old, my uncle said he wanted to start fresh again after losing his first wife, my birth mother. Yang could still remember faintly of the wedding bells, the gathering of tons of people from both, well more from Her side of the family, and the long beautiful white wedding dress Summer had on when the wedding day arrived.. but after three years Summer decided to divorce her dad because, well even Yang didn't know that one, she thought everything was going perfect for her dad and Summer but that was far from the case it seemed.

Her relationship with a three year old Ruby was like any two siblings were in those times, they got along with each other, played nice, and Yang was still protective of her like a older sister should be. But when she was six she couldn't do anything but watch Ruby be ripped out of her life for what she thought was forever in those times and all she could do was ball her eyes out when that day happened, so was her father but he tried to keep it in. After a year had past that's when her dad decided that he couldn't handle the pressures of, what he thought as failures and ended up killing himself, leaving her behind. After Yang was sore from screaming, begging, and sobbing over her dad to wake up; She had to give up that hope, and so she hastily made her way down to the phone, which was in the kitchen to call her uncle. When he picked up the phone all She could do really was weep on the phone in that time because of the previous moments before, but Her Uncle immediately said he was coming over to pick her up and that she should stay put.

After everything that happened in that year she only found out the reason why he did that until last year by her uncle telling her and she felt a bit of resentment towards Summer Rose. Yang tried tracking her down to tell her of what she caused her and her dad but couldn't find anything to the whereabouts of her ex-step mother. It wasn't until her Uncle had found out what she was doing and stated that Summer and her other husband had been deceased for two years now and he knew nothing about the whereabouts to where Ruby was so he assumed the worst for her as well. Yang ended up destroying a good portion of the house in her rage fit when he finished the sentence.

Her reverie was halted when she bumped into her uncle that was at the door, he looked a bit worried about her. "What happened?" He cut straight to the point like always.

"Jeez, what makes ya think anything happened?" She frustratedly retorted back to him before trying to get into the house. He didn't budge.

"Well I'll just assume then until you get frustrated with me. I think Ruby woke up and I'm assuming it wasn't in a good way either, and that left you in this bad mood?" How the hell did he figure Most of that out? Yang looked stupendously in his dark Gray eyes that had his glasses covering them.

Yang finally relented with a long drawn out "Yeah.." Her uncle finally moved away from the door to let her in. The house was decent inside, the living room was the first room you saw when you walked into while the stairs were next to the entrance. A long one piece couch faced them as they walked over there to sit and discuss Yang's day. When she finally told him his glasses seem to cover his eyes in a glare, he seemed deep into thought. And with her Uncle in thought, she began to remember when she first found out that Ruby was alive.

* * *

_It was just by a simple accident on her part, if she had never bumped into the young awkward girl that one warm October day she wouldn't have ever known who she was. When Ruby quickly and unnoticedly bumped into Yang that lunch time; one of Ruby's drawings had slipped out of her open bag and onto the floor. Yang had noticed that and had picked it up to give it back to her the next day but when she scanned it over to know the girls name. She had not excepted this, hell it was a fucking plot twist in her life! That she had unknowingly saw, briefly talked to, and had lightly teased her younger step-sister since the first day of school. She didn't know it was her before because she only heard Miss. Rose from the teachers all the time and That made her feel disappointed in herself. Disappointed because she never connected Ruby's last name to Ruby's first name, and that made her upset for a couple of days._

_When she finally got over her self-pity of the unbelieveable situation, she had stormed into her Uncle's office at school. Which had surprised him at her abrupt appearance because she came there on her own and not on some fight she started. When she tried to access the student data base on his computer, he quickly had stopped her and began asking her questions on why. She briefly gave her answers of something like "Found someone we might know, please trust me Uncle."_

_She had glared at him when his grip on her wrists didn't relent but only tighten. Maybe she got a little-no, she got fully enraged at her uncle because she wasn't trusted and that she finally realized that he knew about Ruby and didn't even bother to tell her. So she had somehow ended up shoving her Uncle into selves full of old literature books. Now angrily resuming her search to find out if this was actually the Ruby She knew. When her uncle finally recovered he had an angry expression and was saying she was going to have some kind of punishment for this, but when he noticed what she was reading and who it was, his angered expression was immediately perished into guilt.._

_When Yang was finished reading the medical files of this Ruby Rose she immediately knew this was her Ruby. They were two years apart from each other and Ruby's birthday was in November while hers was in December and it also had Summer Rose's signature while it also had her other Husbands name on it now. The last name was another thing that changed too, Ruby Rose was once upon a time called Ruby Xiao Long, so that's another reason why her name never connected to Yang's mind, it was slightly changed._

_"Did you know about this Uncle?" Her voice coming out as impassive, concealing but revealing that she was beyond pissed off for not knowing this as well._

_"Yang, I was going to tell you eventu-" When her uncle was about to say what she already knew was coming, she felt betrayed again by him for not letting her know anything about her sister._

_"Bullshit." She simply said to him before walking out of his office and out of the school grounds. It was few days before she went back to school and a month before she talked to him again and actually let him explain why he didn't let her know. It was something along the lines of Ruby probably doesn't really remember them at all and if Yang just unexpectedly went head first into telling Ruby she's her step-sister then it would be more of a hassle than what it would be if she started out slowly._

_This plan was to befriend Ruby, get to know her and make her use to Yang, and when she was trusting of Yang, Yang and her uncle would tell her everything about the situation. She only got to the befriending stage, it just seemed that Ruby was such a hard nut to crack when it came to trusting and relying on people but Yang could understand why she was so. Ruby's life wasn't exactly the most brightest, hell I don't think any of their friends life's were kind to them_.

* * *

"Yang are you even paying attention?" That was her Uncle Qrow again and again snapping her out of her memories.

"Y-yeah, totally was..." I scratched the top of my head before grinning cheesily. He rolled his eyes at me before he repeated what he said moments before.

" I was saying maybe we should just skip the plan we set." He was dead serious about that and it left Yang with no room for persuasion. " Her medical bills will be a huge amount for her and if your assumptions are right then her living expenses will be another huge amount of money I don't think she has."

Yang bit the inside of her cheek at that, I mean how do you even say to somebody that 'Hey there I'm your long lost step sister, haha and maybe you should come live with me and my uncle so you won't get in debt!' I would feel hella weird at that. "I know that we should do that but she barely came out of her coma, I don't think it would be a good idea to tell her just yet..." That was my honest opinion on this situation.

"It may not be the best but it's the most beneficial to us and Ruby's sake." He argued." Can you even imagine when Ruby is discharged from the hospital and she has too take of herself like that?" Adding more to his argument and placing a lump in my throat.

I knew that but now imagining it made me feel sick, I didn't want Ruby struggling at all like that. " I... " I gulped before speaking up again. "Fine you win on this, I don't want her suffering like that." She saw him smile sadly at her.

"We'll tell Ruby a day before she is discharged from the hospital, just to make you feel a little better about this abrupt change of plans." He finally said before getting up and heading to the kitchen. "Now message your friends that Ruby is out of her coma while I cook something up to eat." And with that he left me on the couch.

After texting everybody that knew about Ruby's condition previously, she texted them about the awakening. I then decided that I'd go to my room to change and to think about what will happen in the near future. Her room was the second room up the stairs, when she got done changing into a yellow tank top and loose black, batman symbol trousers.

Yang plopped down on her bed before looking out Her window to her left side, Yang was just dully looking at the starless night sky. She was nervous when she had to tell Ruby who she actually was too her, albeit still being with her Uncle. She was just dreading the questions, the accusations of being a liar, just all the unknown future in general because from the looks of it Ruby still hadn't remembered her, sure it was only a week since they actually got to know each other, well more from her then from Ruby. Ruby wasn't that little kid she remembered, she wasn't happy, she wasn't confident, she had nothing of that anymore, sure every now and then but all she mostly had was a certain kind of sadness and guilt that her dad had and that scared her. If she's been dealing with those emotions for years then these upcoming months will be a struggle for her because of the remembered memories of her past. Ruby needed to have this support more than ever now.

She didn't want to hear on some news channel that a red headed girl killed herself in her apartment, if they don't go through with this. She felt a bit sick after that thought but it wasn't really far from the truth, so gritting her teeth Yang spoke to herself. "I won't ever let that happen again, I'm older and stronger then when I was a kid. I'll protect her and be the best older sister again, I swear I will."

* * *

The next day at school Yang had been glaring at Blake for the majority of the school day and she knew that Blake knew of the stares. Yang never liked when she was rejected of something she wanted, hell she wanted something even more after getting rejected. One way or another Yang would get that information of Ruby's living whereabouts, She just had too for her own sake before she crashes Ruby's previous life down.

"Yang!" A girly voice had interrupted her thoughts and her blaring glare towards Blake. "Huh?" Was my off guarded response, I heard a snarky chuckle coming from Blake.

"Jeez, stop throwing glares at Blake and answer some of your friends questions like, did Ruby even say anything to you guys after she woke up?" The ever so vibrant (not) Weiss Schnee asked, while her other friends nodded in agreeance. I just shook my head in a no motion, I couldn't tell them what I heard. "Is she telling the truth, Blake?" That was Jaune but Pyrrha nudged his side rather harshly after he said that, He grunted out a sorry.

"Yeah, she's telling the truth, we had to be asked to leave after she woke up because they had to do a check up." Blake had easily and effectively lied to them because after that they seemed relaxed for this moment. I began staring at my lap. .

I couldn't handle this silence anymore so Getting up from the lunch table which resulted me in getting the whole group staring at me in curiosity. "I'm just going to walk outside to get some fresh air." I skillfully played it off, I just kinda wanted to be left alone right now.

Once outside I began walking, where the students were allowed to walk during lunch, the courtyard was large, consisting of smooth concrete walkways. When you walk up for a few moment's you could see the track. If you walk any further there was a bit of a secluded area where trees and shrubbery grew but you had to have a special ID for that; or you could be the principals daughter for that as well. Once getting clearance from a security guard I went on a small familiar dirt path I knew since forever ago. After awhile I came to an open area that always seemed to calm me down when I'm stressed or nervous about something. Closing my eyes I let a gentle breeze clear my chaotic mind even for just a little awhile but that was soon destroyed by the voice I didn't want to listen to right now.

"So this is where you escape off to when your too stressed with people or situations, how unusually cowardice?" That monotone voice made her eyes and body snap towards the intruder.

Frowning at the slightly younger girl before speaking up, "You know I'm going to just forget that comment of yours." Yang's brows furrowed when Blake shrugged. " How did you even get in here it's only for P.E, garden or track club."

Blake just shrugged again. "Like you said yesterday, I'm only stealthy to normal people." She then looked directly into my eyes now, she was trying to irk to me and it was working.

"True, I did say that." I agreed with her, "Say you're a great liar when it comes down to it, I wonder how many secrets you have." If she was going to try to irk me then I'll try just as hard.

I'm guessing I ended up hitting the right button because she wounded up scowling at me. "What you started it," I lifted up forearms in a 'oh well' motion. "I still want to know where Ruby lives."

"Hmph, as I said yesterday evening, no." She said in an even tone, that set me off.

I could feel my jaw lock and my fists ball up into a fist. After a few tensed moments I finally spoke, well yelled at her, "You don't understand, I need to know this!" My arms were bent to my sides.

"Why? It doesn't concern you knowing." Her voice raised as well. This girl was frustrating to no end, I also noticed her body was tense like she was preparing for me to attack.

"Blake, it actually does concern me but I just can't tell you the reason!" I tried to change this subject but I probably grabbed more of her interest than I was wanting.

"Oh? Well what is this oh-so important reason?" Her mocking tone was becoming agitated. I hate when I'm right, I just hate it.

Then a stupid idea popped out of my head. "If you want to know then fight me, cause if you win this fight I'll tell you. But if I win you show me where Ruby lives." I wanted her to accept, she just had to accept. I knew I would win, I could feel it.

The fire in her eyes grew, I just knew she was contemplating it but she did something unexpected. "No. Something like that isn't worth getting into a fight over." She relaxed her body before turning away and my chance to know was slowly slipping away, I had to think of something!

"I guess Blake Belladonna is nothing but a scaredy cat when it comes to putting everything on the line!" I yelled at her with a cheap taunt. "I'm putting up my reasonings on the table while you just walk away from it, just like you did for those two weeks that Ruby was asleep! Ha what a-" Before I could add even more to my taunt, I was punched right in the face, making me stumble back in shock.

I barely dodged the next punch to my face, so as she was recovering from that, I took it upon myself to do a few jabs on her right side before kicking her behind the knee, making her fall. She quickly did a side roll before getting up and getting into a fighting stance, her left arm was slightly angled in front of her chest while she bent her right arm near her side. I was slightly nervous but excited for this; I just had to win this.

Getting into my own stance, knees bent and my right arm was in front of me while my left arm was angled upward to my chin. We stayed like that listening to the trees move from the wind that was picking up, we were observing one another, waiting for someone to make the first move. When the school bell rang, I charged forward. I first tried to directly punch Blake but she had ended up blocking it with her forearms before grabbing my wrist to shove me backwards. I had to go into defense after that because she did swift but powerful punches towards my torso that could leave anyone on the floor gasping for breath, lucky I was dodging them pretty well for now. That was until I was almost caught off guard from an upcoming kick to the gut, thinking fast I ended up grabbing her foot with one hand while grabbing her calve in my other.

Her eyes widen in shock while I my mouth formed a toothy grin before releasing a scream "Raah!" I used most of my strength to fling her across the open field. "Ah!" I heard her yell out before a hard thud to the ground was heard.

"Heh, wasn't excepting that one huh?" I huffed out, my head was pounding after that one. I sprinted towards her when she was beginning to get up, when she stared at me I could tell she was beyond pissed off; she almost resembled an angry cat that was about to claw someone's face off. When I got close enough I tried faking her out by almost making it look like I was about to left hook her but instead I kneed her in the stomach. I heard her cough out but I couldn't careless, I had to win, so with that in thought I grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back a little. Once I did that I started punching her on her face, with each strike I could tell it was waning on her stamina; heck if it keeps up like this I'll end this fight in like two minutes.

With my aching knuckles, I brought my arm back to give her one last punch to the face. To my surprise she briskfully dodged my punch and then harshly head-butted me, I flinched and closed my eyes. I had created an opening for Blake and I knew what my fate was sealed as she tackled me to the ground and successfully pinned me down before she now started punching me in face. I was too exhausted to do much of anything, but I tried to blocking my face but I knew she had won, much to my dismay.

After she unforgivingly beat my face in, Blake panted for a few moments catching her breathe. Once she had enough intake of air She spoke gruffly to me, "Now that you're in no position to fight because of how you exhausted yourself." She took a deep breathe before speaking again. "Now tell me why you find the need to know where Ruby lives so badly."

Her eyes were bearing on me intensely while I could still see rage I also saw confusion. Huffing out a breathe I didn't know I held in, I began telling her. "Whether or not you believe me, I.… I…" I choked up, what the hell? Why I am I doing this? Gritting my teeth, I felt my eyes start to water, why were these emotions getting to me?

"…." Blake had stayed quiet and I hated that right now but I guess telling something sensitive like this does that to somebody? Closing my eyes I spoke with latent wave of emotion I wasn't use too." I-I'm Ruby's step-sister, Blake. That's one of the reasons I've always been so protective of her lately and so oddly close to her, I just wanted her to remember me again." I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes still, I didn't want her to see me even more vulnerable than I was already.

The silence and the still strong grip was mind-numbing too me, so opening one eye I saw her bruise forming face in shock. "Heh, didn't except that either.. but it's true." I tried to smile but I just couldn't bring myself too, When she finally snapped out of her shock to look incredulously at me. "Blake I knew her, her mother once, her name was Summer Rose, she had divorced my dad when I was 6 and Ruby was only 3 years old!" I was beginning to raise my voice at her which wasn't the wisest but neither were my previous actions.

"Why should I believe you?" Blake voice was full of scepticism, I pursed my lips into a straight line.

"Because I knew who Ruby's mothers name was and I'm sure as hell Ruby never told anybody that!" Then there was silence. Blake's eyes were studying me, trying to figure out if I was lying or not but I knew she knew I wasn't lying. She gritted her teeth while she made her eyes crinkle. Blake had reluctantly let go of me.

Before anything else happened a guard had walked in on us. "Hey Yang, class is already starti-.…" The security guard's sentence trailing into nothing as he was probably baffled at the scene. The niece of the principal here was straddled and bruised on the ground defeated while a ebony haired girl was even more bruised and battered, but had been the victor.

THUD.

"….." Blake and I didn't even want to comment on that stupid scene that really just happened. These security guards seriously need to have a back bone. Looking up at Blake again I saw her hand extended towards me, her hand opened. Grabbing her hand with mine she pulled me up, I was surprised she recovered so fast.

"Follow me." All that Blake said before walking away into the mini woods here. A little while later we were at the end of the woods and in front of the fence, oh so we're ditching school all of a sudden?

"Don't think about it, just follow me Yang." Again she ordered. Blake was already over the fence, shrugging I quickly did as she said; I mean I was kinda the loser here so it's only fair to listen right now, right?

From what I could observe was that we were heading towards the larger, slightly decent apartment structures. I thought nothing of it until the word "apartments" clicked, 'Wait is she seriously taking me to…' when I saw her stop in front of me next to a red and beige apartment I knew. "Blake you didn't have too..." I gently grabbed onto her shoulder.

Blake shook her end at me, " No I had too do this." A pause. " Now that I know what you are too Ruby." She shrugged off my hand before walking inside the apartment. I followed silently again.

When she stopped at the room 215 she spoke up again. "This is the room she lives in." I looked at the door in wonder.

"D-do you have the key too this place?" I wanted to get in there, I wanted to see the living conditions Ruby had been living in. I snapped my head to Blake, she nodded a no. Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself and with all my might I had left, I kicked the door open from its hinges. "I guess that'll do, huh?" I chuckled before letting myself in here.

"You do know the owner of this place could sue you right?" Blake's voice filled with irritation, I imagined her eye was twitching about now.

I shrugged before taking a look from this place, it was kinda shitty to be honest. I mean, I hope Ruby tried to keep this clean before cause if she didn't it was a pigsty. A few dirty dishes in the sink, a wrinkled blanket on the couch, and papers almost everywhere. "Jeez what a disorganized place." I mumbled out loud before going inside her bedroom, probably. Her bedroom was small it was just a dresser and a one person bed with limited walking space, it kinda made me feel claustrophobic. "Jeezus this room is freakin small..." Yang commented before picking up a picture frame of Ruby and her other family. They were all smiling, Ruby couldn't have been more than 10 at the time. Blake just looked at Yang with mild concern.

Yang smiled bitterly before putting the picture frame down. 'If only I could reverse time I could've had more of these memories.' Yang thought sadly. She just hated the thought of not being there for Ruby all this time, it really rubbed her the wrong way.

"Yang." Blake's monotone voice snapped her back to reality. Yang glanced at Blake before doing a little more searching. She found out Ruby didn't own that many stuff and that worried her, Yang could bet that Ruby only spent her money to pay rent and that's it. "Yang we should probably go or we'll get caught." Blake conjured to her, Pursing her lips together Yang nodded.

Fixing the door as best they could they swiftly made their exit out of the complex. "What are you going to do now, now that you know Ruby's living conditions?" The ebony haired girl inquired, as they walked back to school.

Yang closed her eyes to think about. Ruby is a disorganized person, she barely lives by eating junk food and she barely has any good clothes It was no wonder why she wore almost the same outfit to school. Opening her eyes again Yang finally spoke. " Well my Uncle and I's plan was to tell Ruby the day before she's discharged who we are and take her back in to live with us..." A little pause. " My Uncle is already filling out legal documents to get Ruby back as fast as he can and into our care as well." Yang finished off with.

"Why didn't you do this before?" Blake again questioned her. They were almost back to school.

"The original plan was too get to know Ruby again, that's why I was so close. So uncle and me could do this quickly." Yang frowned. " But then this situation happened so we had to push forward." Yang weaved her hand through her hair, she was becoming anxious. What if Ruby hated her after they told her who they were. What if Ruby didn't accept us as family, I mean most of her family on Summer's and her husband's side didn't want Ruby. It was just a game of what if now and it was just slowly killing Yang!

Blake but a hand on her arm and squeezed it, Yang looked down at her." Yang everything will be fine. You know Ruby is too kind for her own good, so she'll eventually accept you as a sister. She already does in a way." Blake smiled sympathetically to her and Yang finally grinned back at her.

"Hey, you aren't so bad at comforting people Blake, that's amazing!" Yang exclaimed before running at the fence they jumped from, from before.

"Tsk." Was what she heard from Blake before footsteps were gaining on her.

Yang felt whole hell of a lot better by what Blake said and even though she and Blake were bruised and battered, she felt energized again. She knew that she couldn't let Ruby live at that place anymore. It wasn't for Ruby and maybe Yang was selfish but she wanted Ruby at a better location than that; at least she could get a protection and safety by living with them. .

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**(Edit) Um Anon I don't understand when I said Yang was Ruby's step sister instead of half-sister but I'm assuming when Yang was saying Summer and her husband family side not wanting Ruby. I meant her other husband she married after Yang's dad not what you were thinking lol. I hope I cleared that up for you. **

**I hope you liked this new revelation to why Yang was being so close with Ruby in the beginning. This shall open new paths for our awkwardly cute Ruby and cause a few problems once she finds out and even I don't know them just yet! **

**Anyways Thank you for all the review's and following/favoriting this story as well! It really motivates me too make more chapters faster so please keep doing want you do Readers!**


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